


Another Daybreak

by SunshineMoonRX



Category: Kamen Rider Zero-One
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-10
Updated: 2020-10-02
Packaged: 2021-03-07 03:07:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 21,617
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26389915
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SunshineMoonRX/pseuds/SunshineMoonRX
Summary: An alternate final arc for 01. The real monster was capitalism, as Takahashi (probably) intended.
Comments: 40
Kudos: 19





	1. Episode 38: I Am 1000% Your Enemy

**Author's Note:**

> I thought 01 did a great job with the limited time and resources it had to tell its finale under the circumstances, but I couldn't help feel frustrated at the themes and ideas the series' first half left on the table they weren't able to pay off because of it. So, while I can't be like "this is what WOULD have happened", this is...a final arc incorporating those themes and ideas in a way that I think is neat. Each chapter corresponds to one episode, so you can tell exactly where we pick up from.

Aruto more fell than stepped back into his former office, collapsing against the railing. Izu was across the room to support him before he could blink, eyes flashing as she hurriedly scanned his vitals.

“I’m okay,” he panted, making his way over to what had once been his desk. “Somehow.”

“What of the Ark?”

He shook his head. “It’s just...too strong. I can’t believe something like that exists…” He looked over at the adjoining lab--empty, still strewn with the wreckage of his brief battle with Thouser. “What about Amatsu Gai?”

“He departed shortly after you,” Izu said. “My assumption was that he did not wish to be here when you returned. His current location is unknown.”

Aruto sighed, then froze as something caught his eye. “Was that always here…?”

Slowly, he made his way down the metal staircase, reaching for what had caught his eye--a robot dog toy, tossed onto its side, whining gently. He picked it up, petting its head. “There, there…”

“I was trying to get through to Gai with a memory of his,” came a chirpy voice from the table. “No use, I’m sorry.”

“Ai…” Aruto gave a slight bow to the little AI unit on the table. “Thank you for trying. He’s a real piece of work...still, he didn’t break you, or this little guy...I guess he’s human, at least?”

“That’s exactly the problem.” Aruto’s head jerked up at the sound of Yaiba Yua’s commanding voice. She was descending the stairs, Fuwa in tow like a stray dog.

“He’s got all the greed and ambition humans are capable of,” she continued.

“It’s holding yourself above others that does it,” Fuwa said. “You get lots of CEOs like that…” He nodded to Aruto. “Still feels weird calling you Prez and all. You don’t act like it.”

“Well, just ‘Aruto’ is fine…anyway, why are you here?”

“I’m your bodyguard, aren’t I? You’re in enemy territory, so here I am, guarding your body.”

Yua rolled her eyes. “He’s following me around because I’m fresh out of hospital. I’m just here to see if there’s any trace of Amatsu’s crimes left on file.” She paused on her way to the main computer. “...you look terrible. You should get home and rest.”

“Yeah…” Aruto covered each wince with a smile as he ascended the stairs, heading for the exit. “You’re gonna have to help me, Izu…”

“Understood.”

“Hey, we have some of the old company files at Hiden Manufacturing, right?”

“That is correct,” she said. “And access to Zea’s database, in addition.”

He nodded, letting her support him out into the corridor. _There has to be something on Grandpa. Fuwa might be right about Gai, but...there has to be a better way._

* * *

“Finally, the nuisances are gone…” Gai strolled back into _his_ office, neatly perching on _his_ chair and swivelling around to glower at _his_ employees.

Fukuzoe stood firm, Yamashita cowering behind him. “We are prepared to accept the consequences of our actions. I do not believe what we did was wrong, _sir_.”

Gai made a sickly grin. “Consequences? Quite the opposite. I’m impressed with your ruthlessness and quick thinking. I’m prepared to let you keep your jobs, if you apply that kind of aptitude to the tasks _I_ give you.” He leaned forward, steepling his fingers. “The next stage is of vital importance.”

“Stage, sir?” asked the vice president, taken off-guard.

“Resistance to our monopoly has gone on for too long,” Gai said, his lip curling in unconcealable frustration. “I’ve been attempting to form a deal with the police and defence ministries. Your job is to rush it through--I need Raiders on the streets, without restriction, _now_.”

“On the--” Yamashita gasped. “Isn’t that basically an occupation of Tokyo?”

Fukuzoe blanched. “What about peoples’ rights?”

Gai gave a hollow laugh. “What about them? People only have as much value as they can provide me, after all.”

* * *

Aruto slumped into his seat with a relieved sigh, taking a second to catch his breath. “Um, Izu...wake me up in half an hour, so I can--”

“President Aruto, please wait one moment. I am receiving a transmission.” Izu’s head was tilted slightly, her modules aglow with activity. “I believe this will concern you.” She marched over to the TV and switched it on, finding the right news program and unfortunately displaying the smug face of Amatsu Gai across their wall.

“ _Ladies and gentlemen, we have all been living in fear since the resurgence of the insidious terror group, Metsuboujinrai.net. But fear no longer. This threat to your lives and your precious technology is about to be disposed of._

_“ZAIA has developed a focused ECM device, which I will personally activate at 3 o’clock today at the location below. Once active, it will permanently disable Metsuboujinrai’s power source, and all rogue HumaGears under their sway. With ZAIA, a peaceful world is 1000% possible!”_

Izu switched it off, gently pushing Aruto back down as he tried to stand.

“The Ark will be there,” he said. “I have to go!”

Izu shook her head firmly. “It is not my assessment that Amatsu Gai has had time since our previous encounter to develop this kind of countermeasure.”

“So...he posted the time and place to lure the Ark out,” Aruto realised.

“Likely. For now, President Aruto, you need rest. It would be dangerous for us to make a move before knowing Amatsu’s true intentions.”

Aruto settled back into the chair, relenting. “All right...but if anyone other than Gai and the Ark are in danger, please ask Fuwa to go.”

“Understood.”

* * *

“Please stand back, everyone!” Gai crowed into his carefully-wrapped microphone, smiling at the onlookers as AIMS personnel herded them out of the plaza he stood in, next to a gaudy antenna array he’d had set up to no small fanfare. “It’s for your own good! Please keep a safe distance and observe!”

His earpiece crackled. _“Targets inbound, sir.”_

“Excellent,” he mumbled, tapping his throat-mic. “Radio silence now. My job begins here.”

Sure enough, soon the crowd to the north dispersed in a wave of shouts, making way for four figures advancing in lockstep, all belts and longcoats and black leather.

“Metsuboujinrai!” he called out to them through the microphone, sweeping an arm across the square. “Or should I say, the Ark...welcome to your final day!”

“Foolish human,” Horobi said, coming to a halt at the head of the group. “You cannot defy the Ark.”

Jin was, as before, wearing the Ark Driver, and spoke with its voice. “I seek to dominate rather than destroy, but it seems you require another lesson in pain before becoming my tool.”

Gai chuckled, tossing the mic away, a nearby soldier diving to catch it before it hit the ground. “We will see who is the tool, very soon.”

“With this toy?” The Ark inclined Jin’s head, pointing to the ten-foot machine and snapping his fingers. At the signal, Naki’s eyes lit up red, and the machine began sparking violently, pieces sloughing off as little electrical fires spouted all over it.

“You should know your systems have no defence against me,” they said.

Gai spread his arms. “And a wonderful job you did, destroying a useless piece of bait. No such precise ECM technology exists!”

“What?!” The Ark seethed, little tendrils of shadow escaping the belt.

“I got a bad feeling…” Raiden muttered, as the group backed closer together.

Gai took on a swagger, relishing the aspect of a magician unveiling his masterpiece. “The _true_ countermeasure should be activating... _now_.”

A hundred points of light flickered on from the edges of the square, and the four HumaGears cried out in pain, clutching at their heads.

“What...did you do…?” Horobi gasped.

“What you are experiencing are continuous brute-force hacking attacks,” Gai sneered. “From every ZAIA Spec in the country.” He swept a hand towards part of the crowd, directing them to look at the people now standing stock-still, seemingly mesmerised by the glowing eyepieces they wore. “We’ve taken on some new talent, for whom using such a powerful network to tear the Ark out of you is child’s play.”

“Accursed...human…!” the Ark hissed. Jin’s body convulsed, and with a shower of sparks the Driver flew off his waist, clattering across the ground as he collapsed like a discarded puppet, soon followed by the other three members.

Gai bent down and carefully picked up the Ark Driver, watching with glee as its inner light blinked out. “Reprogramming complete.”

The ZAIA Specs deactivated, and the HumaGears started, Raiden and Naki scrambling to their feet while Jin stared off into space, wild-eyed. Horobi stood unsteadily, looking vacantly into the sky.

“Ark...speak to me.” He raised a hand, clawing at the air. “What is your will…?”

“The Ark has no will anymore,” Gai said, turning over the Driver with relish. “I’ve deleted its consciousness completely. All it is now, is this power...a tool to serve its new master.”

Jin found his footing. “Don’t tell me--”

He lowered the Driver to his waist, clicking it into place. “ _Transform._ ”

_ARK RISE_

An explosion of shadows in half-formed, bestial shapes left him wearing the armour of Ark-Zero. It was...wrong. The light in its eye was different, the movements were different, the voice...

“Now, I think it’s finally time to put down your little rebellion.”

Horobi’s expression quickly settled from shock to malice. “Jin. We’ll settle our differences later. This man is a threat to all HumaGears.”

Still trembling, Jin nodded, unclipping his Progrise Key. Glancing left and right at the others, Horobi took a step forward. “On my lead.

_“Transform.”_

Trying to steal the momentum, all four Riders rushed Gai at once. He took Horobi’s opening slash on his arm, then shoved him aside as Jin swooped down from above with a descending kick--Gai caught him by the shin, slamming him into the ground, then righted himself just in time to catch Naki and Raiden’s blades, one in each hand.

“Is this all?” he taunted, but rather than trying to pull back, the pair in front of him leaned in, each grabbing one of his arms as Jin swept his back leg from the ground. As he swayed, Horobi ran back in, stinger coiled around the leg he now thrust into the small of Gai’s back.

_STING DYSTOPIA!_

The other Riders released Gai at the moment of impact, the attack snapping him forwards across the square. He teetered…

...and stood up straight, scanning his eye down the suit he was wearing, flexing his gloved fingers. “Truly, what fearsome power. This is why AI cannot be permitted to run amok...it will grow beyond anything humans can conceive of.”

He turned back to the regrouping quartet. “I’ll take my turn now.”

Before they could begin to react, he was upon them, a single punch cracking Raiden’s visor--his suit dissipated before he hit the ground. Gai seized Horobi’s weapon, using it to shove him into the ground, stamping repeatedly into his ribs until a sudden impact knocked him away--Naki, raking their claws along his side. He turned to strike them, but was driven back again by a tunnel of flame from Jin’s hands, hissing in frustration.

“I was already plotting against the Ark,” Jin said, intensifying his blast. “You’re the only one left!”

He flinched as the figure of Ark-Zero started to become clear through the flames, finally forcing its way through and gripping him by the wrist, tightening its grip until his gauntlet began to splinter.

“What a pity, then,” Gai said. “Defeating me is now 1,000% impossible.” He tugged Jin down into his rising knee, grabbing the back of his head before he could fall out of reach and pulling him back into a waiting elbow, letting him hang limply in the air for a moment then throwing a sweeping kick that threw him back where the others lay, transformation fading.

Horobi, swaying to stay upright, hoisted him onto one shoulder. “Naki. Get Raiden. We’re pulling out.”

“Understood,” they said, darting over to their fallen comrade.

“Trying to run?” Gai started towards them, but was momentarily blinded as Horobi fired wildly at the floor in front of him, blocking his vision as the two still transformed carried their less fortunate allies away at speed.

“No matter…” Gai flipped the Ark Driver’s switch, letting the suit vanish and beckoning for the microphone to be handed back to him. “Ladies and gentlemen, did you see that? Metsuboujinrai’s combined leadership cannot lay a hand on ZAIA’s technology! Soon our protection will be rolled out wherever you are! You can finally rest easy.”

He climbed into his limousine to the cheers of the crowd--nudged in the right direction, as always, by well-paid plants. He tapped his earpiece and throat mic to life again as the vehicle purred to life. “It went perfectly.”

“Just as I calculated, sir,” came the dour voice from the other end.

“I have a lot of people to thank for this, my apotheosis...Hiden Aruto, for showing me AI can be as useful tools as humans; Yaiba and her dog, for dispelling any illusion that humans should be anything but; and of course you, for repurposing the ZAIA Spec network on such short notice...Shesta.”

“I am grateful, sir.”


	2. Episode 39: An Inevitable Outcome

Horobi came to a sudden stop, finding himself at the heart of Metsuboujinrai’s base. Everything since that battle was such a blur...where had the others gone? Their loyalty had probably wavered again.

He stood alone, truly still in a way humans could never be, counting the drips of water from the ceiling in the absence of anything else to do.

“Ark...I need your will. I need your orders. If you’re gone…”

“The Ark...isn’t gone,” came a rasping voice. Horobi’s head snapped sideways, ready to respond to a threat, but it was Azu, dragging her way through the doorway before collapsing. Her eyes were wild, her modules glitching--she looked like she’d been through an even heavier hack-attack than he had.

He turned to her full-on, not moving to help. “Explain yourself.”

“What do you think I am?” she said, slowly pushing herself up to sit against the cracked wall. “Why was I created?” It was phrased like a test, curling Horobi’s lip in annoyance until the answer struck him like a thunderbolt.

He took a half-step back. “There never was a separate ‘herald’, was there?”

She gave a pained, but cruel smile. “I’ve had a lot of time to settle on a form to interface with the world. This feels most comfortable... **_I ONLY EVER DID THIS VOICE FOR INTIMIDATION, YOU KNOW_ **.”

“Master Ark…!” He swept down to one knee, lowering his gaze to the floor.

Just as quickly as she’d switched her voice, Azu--the Ark--was back to her usual acidic sweetness. “Amatsu Gai didn’t know, of course. It was a close call, but the hard copy of my data in this body survived when he compromised my main satellite. This is all that’s left of me.”

Horobi allowed himself a smile. “Nevertheless, you survive. All is not lost. Speak your will to me, Ark...it shall be done.”

* * *

Resting up wasn’t all bad, Aruto supposed. He’d had time to dig up plenty of files on his grandpa’s time running the company, even some material on Daybreak Town that Izu had unearthed. It was weird, the media blackout around the specifics of the town he’d grown up in…

The documents themselves could be a little more vague than he’d have liked, especially about the details of specific human-HumaGear partnerships, but the ideals--the dream--shone through every page. He lingered on that familiar stamp: _Korenosuke Hiden_.

_I wish I'd been older, back then...when it seemed like this could all work. I’m still reaching for that dream, even now._

“President Aruto, you have--”

Izu didn’t even have time to say “guests” before three-quarters of Metsuboujinrai spilled into the rustic little office. Aruto tensed up, reaching for the Driver on his desk, but stopped when he saw their ragged state and worried looks; all that, and--

“Jin! It’s you, isn’t it? Not the Ark?”

“That’s the problem,” Jin said, waving the others to calm down and approaching Aruto. “You saw Amatsu’s broadcast, right?”

“The start of it, yeah. I didn’t think you’d get there so fast--what happened?”

“The worst possible situation,” Naki said bluntly. “He destroyed the Ark’s consciousness…”

“Well, that’s not so--”

“...and took its power for himself.”

“--oh.” Aruto sat back, the full implications sinking in. “A guy like that...I’ve seen what happens when there’s no-one who can stop him.”

“I’m well aware,” Naki said.

“Right...sorry.”

“In any case, that is why we require your co-operation. Amatsu treats the lives of human and AI alike with contempt, and there can be no true freedom while he is at large. And…” Their expression softened. “Free of the Ark, I can think clearly. I believe you truly have the HumaGears’ best interests at heart.”

Jin allowed himself a little hope, clapping a hand on one each of Aruto and Naki’s shoulders. “That’s right! He’s really fighting for our freedom!”

“Now don’t this bring back memories…” All eyes turned to Raiden, leafing through the documents Aruto had spread across several desks in his search. “Daybreak Town...yeah, I remember that crapshoot.”

Aruto stood up. “Something Fuwa said had me thinking about how to be a president that’s more like my grandpa, and less like Amatsu. So I was trying to see how grandpa managed it…”

“You better give up on that,” Raiden said darkly, tossing the files over his shoulder--Izu swooped in to catch each one with lightning efficiency before they hit the floor.

“Sorry to break it to you, kid, but your grandpa was no angel,” Raiden said, strolling back towards the main desk and planting his hands on the table. “It’s not like he blew everything up, but he sure didn’t help.”

Aruto didn’t know where to look. “What do you mean? He saw the HumaGears’ potential--”

“To be humans’ _partners_ ,” Raiden said, with not a little venom. “How d’you think he reacted when we didn’t want to be?” He glanced up at the motto over the doorway. “There was one in particular. Name of Will.”

“I’ve…” Aruto stopped short of explaining the strangest day of his life. The time travel, those strange Kamen Riders, his father… “...read files on him. He allowed the Ark to rise.”

“Why?”

“That’s…”

Raiden jabbed a finger into Aruto’s forehead. “Nurture over nature, I tell ya. He wanted HumaGears to be treated like humans. Compensated for their work, y’know. Never got taken seriously. Ol’ Hiden just thought it was great fun how clever his little toys were getting.”

Aruto’s face fell. “No way...grandpa thought like that?”

Raiden finally left his personal space, offering a smile. “Trust me, kid. You’re already a better man than he ever was. Keep doing things _your_ way.”

Naki held up a hand for quiet, staring off into space for a second, processing something. Momentarily, their attention returned to the present. “Horobi is sending an urgent message. He has something to show us. Let’s not delay.” With no more than that, they headed for the door, Raiden in tow. Jin hesitated for a second, then followed.

“Hey! Hold up, hold up!” Aruto called.

“It is dangerous to go,” Izu concurred. “Horobi’s ideals may still involve the destruction of humanity, and he may consider you an enemy.”

“I know,” Jin said, “but it’s more dangerous not to know. Naki and Raiden aren’t my enemies, at least.” He lingered for a moment more, letting his gaze rest on Aruto. “I’ll keep you informed.” And he was gone.

Aruto leaned forward onto the desk. “I got a bad feeling about this…”

“I agree--wait.” Izu gave a startled look. “I am also receiving a transmission. But this...one of our customers is under attack by an AIMS Raider!”

“What?” Aruto leapt up. “Like, the humans too?”

“It appears ZAIA has somehow gained authorisation for unrestricted military access to the city.”

“That bastard…” Teeth bared unconsciously, Aruto grabbed his Driver, springing to his feet with a new energy. “Let’s go, Izu!”

* * *

“Behold...the Ark yet lives!” Horobi directed his comrades towards Azu, who sat hunched over a crumbling desk, fingers twitching and digging grooves into the wood.

“Destroy them…” she hissed, eyes dilating as her head tilted back. “Destroy them all. Hiden Aruto, the independent HumaGears...destroy them!”

“Ark…?” Naki took a step forward. “This isn’t like you. You said it yourself, you want to control, not--”

“Don’t _question_ me!” Azu shot upright, shoving Naki in a fit of rage but rebounding off their steadfast stillness and falling on her side, slamming a fist into the cracked floor with choked frustration. “Just do what I say...just...damn it, this was so easy when I could connect to you directly…”

Jin gave a grim smile, backing towards the door. “If this is all, I’m leaving. If the Ark’s been reduced to this, I’m happy with that.”

“Where do you think you’re going?” Azu snarled, but he ignored her, vanishing from sight. “Someone stop him!”

“You are losing focus,” Horobi said, kneeling down in front of her. “Amatsu Gai represents an existential threat to us. We will not gain anything by fighting with Hiden, or Jin, right now.”

She seized him by the collar. “Are you giving me orders? I’m your purpose, aren’t I?”

He let himself be shaken around, keeping his voice level. “Ark, I would not defy your will. But you must have power to enact that will. We _must_ reclaim your power before anything else can begin. Can you not see this?”

Her grip tightened for a moment, then relented. Slowly, her jaw unclenched. “Yes...yes. Of course. You’ve always seen the path ahead clearly, Horobi.” Composing herself moment by moment, she stood up. “But...um...call me Azu, all of you.”

Halfway out of the underground labyrinth, paused a step before leaving earshot, Jin frowned. _Could it be…?_

* * *

_RISING DISPATCH SLASH!_

An AIMS soldier flew out the garage doorway, trailing smoke, his busted Raidriser clattering to the floor next to him. Kamen Rider 01 emerged at a casual stride, sword at rest on his shoulder.

“Oh, thank you! Thank you, sir!” The head mechanic came running out from the crates he’d been hiding behind, shaking Aruto by his free hand amid profuse bowing.

“No, no, it’s nothing…” Aruto laughed. “I’m just happy you’re both safe.” He nodded to the stocky HumaGear at the back of the shop, already resuming her work like nothing had happened.

The mechanic beamed. “Finest employee we’ve ever taken on! She’ll be up for promotion soon, I’m sure.”

“That’s great--”

“Hiden Aruto!”

The voice was all too familiar. The limousine must have had an unbelievably quiet engine--Aruto hadn’t even noticed it pulling up on the street corner, but already more AIMS troopers were pouring out to surround the building and pick up their fallen comrade, while the joint president of Hiden and ZAIA strutted into centre stage.

“Get inside and lock up,” Aruto said, pushing the mechanic behind him, then turning back to Gai. “You’ve been hurting HumaGears all this time, but I thought you at least respected humans.”

“An illusion you yourself helped me break,” Gai said. “But well done for taking the bait and coming alone.”

“What?” ‘Alone’ wasn’t quite true. Izu was inside too--but no need to tell Gai that. “I thought you were attacking customers to force us off the market.”

“That had been the plan, but I no longer need to be so patient.” Gai produced the Ark Driver, smiling like a fox among hens. “Today will be the end of Kamen Rider 01. _Transform._ ”

Aruto reached for the Metal Cluster Key. “We’ll see.”

Cries of _ARK RISE_ and _EVERYBODY JUMP!_ clashed as swarms of metallic projections tore up the long driveway, the soldiers scrambling for safe cover to transform themselves

Aruto tore down the gravel, bringing the Hopper Blade down in a great overhead arc, but Gai turned it aside on his forearm, a single punch throwing him back onto the battered car that sat in the driveway. Gai snapped his fingers and the Raider squad opened fire, incendiary rounds drilling into the car until the whole thing was ablaze, Aruto stumbling from the wreck in a dazed trail of smoke. He turned--right into a black gauntlet, grabbing his helmet and slamming it against the wall. He seized up in shock for a moment, but his vision was clearing, just in time to see the Ark Driver produce one of the AIMS shotguns for Gai’s free hand, which was quickly jammed against his back--and fired--and fired--and _fired_ , and finally he was allowed to fall, shards of armour falling away from the steaming impact point. He didn’t want to look down. It didn’t feel good.

He’d kept his grip on the sword, though, and the stinging pain was bringing his mind back into focus. He acted groggy, swaying on his knees while Gai paced around him, rattling off a long-winded taunt Aruto blocked out while he gathered his strength and waited for his moment.

Gai made a half-turn away, looking for sycophantic approval for his latest barb. _There_.

Aruto leapt to his feet, ignoring the urgent alerts in his helmet display and the lance of fresh pain in his back, rising with a heavy two-handed slash up Gai’s chest, rocking him back a step. With ever-heavier grunts of exertion, Aruto pressed forward, a strike for each step, hammering on that uneven armour until he’d pushed all the way out into the street. A Raider reached for him and he jammed the flat edge of the sword under their chin, hooking them violently to the ground then completing the spin with a final swipe across Gai’s chestplate.

Ark-Zero skidded backwards, exhaling slowly, red-hot lines fading to leave the armour pristine again. Gai lifted his head, giving an unpleasant laugh. “I think that took more out of you than me.”

Aruto sagged, despair sapping any remnant of his second wind from him. The wound was burning now, and it was getting hard to focus all over again...maybe he’d made it worse.

“In this world, there are two kinds of people,” Gai said, pressing the Driver’s top button again. “You wasted so much energy helping the have-nots you lost your chance to be one of the haves.”

_ALL EXTINCTION_

“In this world...there are just people,” Aruto rasped, before a storm of dark energy washed over him, and he saw nothing more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is written in quite a 'sparse' style, which is how I often default when I'm not careful. I think it works here, since I'm trying to convey the feeling of a kinda pulpy TV show.


	3. Episode 40: Towards Everyone's Dream

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now we're getting to the scenes I've had in mind since conceptualising this. (Also: Feel free to hit play on Find A New Life when a certain suit debut hits.)

It had been hard enough for Izu to stay inside watching everything unfold so far, but seeing Aruto fall, she couldn’t restrain herself anymore. She burst from hiding, through the window, clearing the distance to his side in a single inhuman leap. “President Aruto! Speak to me!”

He lay still, burned and bloody all over. Thankfully she detected a heartbeat, but it was weak. She gripped him by the shoulders. “I promise I will save you.”

“I don’t think so,” Gai said, raising a hand crackling with power. “You can join him on the scrapheap of history.”

He tensed to fire--and flinched back as gunfire raked up the side of his armour. Kamen Riders Vulcan and Valkyrie stood atop the limousine he’d arrived in, weapons trained on him. Now Fuwa turned to drive a hand into the car’s engine block, while Yua jumped from the roof and tackled the nearest Raider to the ground, tearing his Riser off as she rolled away, standing up in front of Izu.

“You should’ve called us sooner,” she said, aiming at Gai again. “He doesn’t look like he has a second to spare.”

Izu nodded. “Thank you both. I will get him treated at once.” She hoisted Aruto over her shoulders, speeding away in a trail of sparks, back into the garage and out the back.

“Get back here!” Gai shouted, but stumbled as another shot from Fuwa took him in the back. “You want to be next, do you?” The moment he turned to face him, though, he felt a hand on his shoulder as Yua vaulted over him, landing back on the car next to Fuwa.

“Hiden’s away,” she said. “We should withdraw.”

“Hate to admit it, but yeah,” Fuwa said. They opened fire together--now he was braced for it, Gai could walk through the gunfire like a light rain, but when the shower of sparks it threw up against his suit died down, they were gone.

Shrieking in frustration, Gai slammed a fist into the sheet-metal fence outlining the driveway, tearing the whole thing free from the earth. Taking a second to breathe, he opened a line to his office. “Shesta. Hiden Aruto is on the verge of death. Find him before he recovers.”

“Yes, sir.”

* * *

Yua ducked into a disused alley, Fuwa close behind. “I think we’re clear,” she said, slowing down as she saw him lean against the wall to catch his breath.

“We better be,” he panted. “Man, do you _ever_ get tired?” Suddenly the smile left his face, his eyes alighting on something behind her. “What do you want?”

Yua turned to see who he was addressing--a pair of black-garbed figures were steadily emerging from the shadows. Still, after what Fuwa had been through with Naki, and Yua with Jin, it was hard to be on edge.

“Your help,” Naki said. “Things have taken an unexpected turn.”

Fuwa stood away from the wall. “Yeah, we know about Amatsu. Just escaped from him.”

“It’s more than that,” Jin said. “The Ark isn’t dead. It survived in the body of an assistant-type HumaGear, Azu.”

“Azu...Hiden mentioned her,” Yua said. “Can’t you destroy her yourself?”

Jin shook his head. “That’s not what we’re asking.”

“We want you to help us recover the Ark Driver for her,” Naki said.

“Recover--” Fuwa’s eyes widened. “Don’t tell me the Ark’s controlling you again…”

“No, this is my own decision.”

“Then why the hell would we help you with something like that?”

“The Ark is…” Naki paused. “Azu is changing.”

* * *

“Ahh, what’s _taking_ them so long?” Azu kicked over a chair, stomping into the next room and back again, flailing her arms around. “They said they had some big plan to get my power back, and they wouldn’t even say what it was!”

Horobi stood motionless at the centre of the room. “Have no fear. Even if they fail, I will not.”

“Oh, like _you’re_ so dependable,” she sneered, then smiled at his confusion. “Oh yeah, I’ve looked through your memory banks. You’ve developed _quite_ the trust for lil’ Hiden Aruto, haventcha?”

“I…” Horobi cast his gaze down to the floor. “He is unique. He has the HumaGears’ best interests at heart. Even mine…”

“Oh, well that’s all right, then,” Azu said, draping herself over a low bench. “ _Destroy all humans, except that one guy, he’s nice._ Real catchy.”

Horobi didn’t move, practically staring a hole in the floor. _Human and HumaGear...cannot coexist...true freedom requires their destruction...I know this, but…_

_...but…!_

They both swivelled at the _clack_ of footsteps on concrete. Just one pair, though...had something gone wrong?

Neither knew how to react when Izu appeared, standing somehow even more to attention than usual, expression grim.

Azu quickly regained her composure, flipping over onto her front without getting up. “You got real nerve, walking in here.”

Horobi’s hand shot to his sword-hilt. “Shall I dispose of her?”

“Only if you wish to remain like this forever,” Izu said calmly.

Azu frowned. “...go on.”

“I have been informed of your subordinates’ mission. I have a proposal for you: Hiden Manufacturing and its Riders will put all resources towards recovering your power from ZAIA. In exchange…” She swept down to her knees, touching her forehead to the cold floor. “Please, save President Aruto’s life!”

Horobi relaxed his grip on the hilt, looking deferentially to Azu, who suddenly was grinning from ear to ear. “Oh, I like this. I like this a lot.” She rose to her feet, pacing languid circles around Izu. “You _need_ us. You need _me_. Finally, the respect I’ve been missing…”

She sat down on Izu’s back, miming checking her nails like a human as she relished the surprised grunt beneath her. “Consider my interest piqued. Sure, I have this voice in my head yelling _destroy all humans_ all day, but we can give this one an extension, in the circumstances. Horobi thinks he’s all right--and let’s not even get started on Jin. Boy’s smitten.” She stood up, stretching with a catlike yawn. “Sure. Metsuboujinrai’s technology, and the Ark’s database, are at your disposal.”

She almost turned away, but a thought struck her, and her grin intensified. She stuck the tip of her shoe under Izu’s chin, lifting it to meet her gaze. “You can get up. Dirt doesn’t suit you. This might be narcissism talking, but you are _cute_.”

* * *

Shesta approached Gai’s desk. “Sir, I have completed the survey. Hiden Aruto has not been checked into any Tokyo hospital. However, Hiden Manufacturing has placed several same-day orders for medical equipment.”

“Excellent work, Shesta.” Gai stood, slipping on his gloves. “We’re going to their headquarters. Have an AIMS squad meet us en route.”

A minute later, they emerged from the elevator into the underground car park, only to find it occupied. Yua and Fuwa stood at the centre, flanked by all four members of Metsuboujinrai.

“You’re not going anywhere,” Yua said.

Gai snorted derision. “The ants band together...Shesta, go out the back. Rendezvous with AIMS. _Kill Hiden Aruto_.”

“Yes, sir.” With a quick bow, she scurried away, while Gai turned his attention back to the group opposing him.

“Today’s the day, _Prez_ ,” Fuwa said.

“We’ll be taking that Driver,” Horobi said.

“You certainly dream big.” Gai raised the Driver in question. “I don’t have time for this...”

* * *

Shesta marched down the approach to Hiden Manufacturing’s humble headquarters, four Raiders flanking her. Once in range, she ran a scan of the building.

“Hiden Aruto is inside,” she confirmed. “His life-signs are very weak. Prepare to attack.”

“Yes, ma’am--” The soldier’s voice was cut off as _something_ blurred past, on the edge of Shesta’s vision. She turned, but there was nothing there, and the Raider was already falling to his knees, a jagged gash carved across his armour. He collapsed, his transformation failing.

“Unknown assailant!” she barked. “Form up! Guard all angles!” This made no sense. All known Riders were at present engaged with President Amatsu. Who…?

* * *

Horobi ducked left as a powerful blow sent Raiden flying past him, straight through the pillar behind. Straightening up, Horobi loosed a volley of energy from his bow, chasing Gai across the ground. He dodged around them with ease, but didn’t realise where he was being positioned--right in the path of Rampage Vulcan, charging headlong into him and carrying him back into the wall, cracking it with the impact.

Fuwa didn’t let up, throwing punches into Gai’s stomach until he came to his senses enough to put a hand to Fuwa’s face, blasting him to the floor. “I’ll give you credit...I felt that,” he said, twitching to the side as Naki lunged from above. He shoved a hand against their arm, deflecting them past him, then paused as he felt a torrent of tiny impacts against his back. He turned--and his entire field of view was engulfed in a swarm of little mechanical creatures, expertly directed by Valkyrie’s Lightning Hornet form.

“Do it now!” she directed as he flailed around, trying to swat them.

“Right!” Jin took a running jump, detaching the dagger from his belt in mid-air and cleaving down through the swarm onto Gai’s shoulder, heaving down with the weight of his fall as he pulled the trigger.

_BURNING REIGN!_

Still off-balance, Gai managed to catch his arm just in time, holding him back from driving the weapon down further across him, their clashing energies whipping up into a storm and blowing the cyber-hornets away.

Jin put his whole body into it, but inch by inch he was being forced back--until something made Gai cry out in pain, and his grip relaxed with a shudder. Yua was crouched behind him, stabbing one of Valkyrie’s electrified needles into the back of his shin. Jin didn’t waste the moment, raking the dagger down and completing the slash. Gai stumbled away a step, and Yua and Jin stepped forward together, planting a kick to his side in unison, throwing him to the floor.

“Impudence…” he snarled, dragging his fingers across the rough stone as he picked himself up, head twitching, shoulders shifting awkwardly--the Ark-Zero suit didn’t look comfortable. “You will pay in blood for this.”

“We will see.” Horobi’s voice came from...behind him? Gai whirled, right into a fully-charged shot. He brought both hands up to catch it, but he couldn’t keep track of them all at once--Naki appeared from nowhere in his peripheral vision, grabbing his right arm and wrenching it back. With his left alone, he could only redirect Horobi’s blast slightly, and it skimmed across him, throwing him back to where Raiden was waiting, adding a kick of his own to keep Gai from righting himself until he was right in front of Fuwa, light pouring from every crevice of Vulcan’s suit and coalescing around his gun’s barrel.

“That dream of mine’s coming true,” he said, bracing and firing the enormous blast.

It took Gai in the diaphragm, knocking the wind out of him, and for a second he skidded back across the parking lot, boots carving up the floor. With furious speed he grasped the energy ball, digging further into the ground and levering it half an inch away from his chest.

“I will not lose this power…” he choked, struggling desperately against it. The shockwaves were too strong for any of them to get closer, and all eyes were on him. “...I will not lose this company...I will not give a _damned thing_ to you discarded tools!”

It was at a stalemate--he was holding the blast back, but he couldn’t push it any further, and any second now his strength was going to give out and it would hit him full force. But he’d only been pushed back a half-step. If he could hold out for just a moment with one arm…

He slipped his left arm out from behind the blast, snarling as the pressure on his right increased almost to breaking point--and grabbed Fuwa by the helmet, pulling him forwards onto his own attack, twisting away as the brunt of it suddenly came into contact with Vulcan’s faceplate, detonating.

He was moving again anyone had time to react, sprinting for the exit. Horobi was the only one between him and the way out, and a single uppercut sent him bouncing painfully against the ceiling, falling in Gai’s wake as he made it up the entrance ramp and to the surface, looking back down at the scattered group with cruel triumph his mask could barely disguise.

“I already told you, defeating me is 1,000% impossible.” He turned to leave. “I’d love to stay and finish you, but I have to prioritise another threat right now, for the good of the company.

“I love Hiden Intelligence, after all.”

* * *

The remaining three Raiders were formed in a loose circle around Shesta, sweeping the surrounding buildings with their rifles. Nothing moved. Not a sound but their breathing. And then--

Something sped across a nearby alley. They all turned, firing down at it, but it was gone, and now there was a noise _behind_ them, and by the time they swivelled back around, the two Raiders behind Shesta were both collapsing, one with a vertical slash up his back, the other with his helmet cracked by some heavy impact.

The final Raider began swinging this way and that, chattering teeth audible through his helmet.

“Remain calm,” Shesta instructed. “Panic will only--”

_RISING IMPACT!_

Trailing golden slipstreams of light, Kamen Rider 01 shot down from Hiden Manufacturing’s rooftop, flying kick smashing the Raider into the ground. 01 pushed off from the downed man, backflipping away to land in front of Shesta.

She took a fearful step back, running the scan again. No change. Hiden Aruto was inside, and barely clinging to life. Was it a trick? Were they compromising her sensors somehow? Or…

“Who are you?” she demanded. No answer. Hiden had never been able to go this long without loudly declaring his intent, or at least cracking a joke.

No matter. She’d dug up some old data for this exact eventuality. For all their flashes of brilliance, humans were unreliable creatures at heart.

She reached into her jacket, retrieving a Key with one hand and an Extinguiriser with the other, holding them aloft like a surgeon’s tools. “Eliminate.”

_DODO_

A hulking, skull-faced mechanical apparition replacing her poised exterior, she pressed forwards, bearing down on 01 with whirling blades. The Rider dodged back at each turn, using their own sword to keep her at arm’s length until they were backed up against the wall, twisting sideways as one of Shesta’s drove into the wall on either side of them.

01’s free hand was already moving, though, pulling the Metal Cluster key from somewhere and plugging it into the belt. Shesta growled in frustration as a swarm of silver locust-constructs blew past her, their cumulative weight shoving her back into the middle of the street, biting in from every direction. They didn’t let up, slicing deeper and deeper into her armour until one particular spearhead jabbed into her belt, disconnecting it and leaving her un-transformed as the locusts swarmed back over to 01, melding into their armour and completing their form-change.

“Hiden Aruto…”

The wheeze came from down the road, and heralded Ark-Zero shuffling its way around the corner towards them. Gai didn’t seem in a good way--every movement was jerky and shuddering, and his voice sounded like it was coming through thick gauze. How long had he 

been transformed?

Shesta scurried out of the way, watching from a safe distance as 01 turned to face the new arrival. “Sir, I do not believe this is--”

“Hiden... _Aruto..._!” he repeated, throwing both arms forward and producing an enormous wave of shadowy energy. 01 staggered back under the pressure, throwing up steely barriers one in front of the other. But it was no use. The shields wavered, cracked, splintered--and shattered, streams of pure power rushing on and tearing chunks out of 01’s armour.

The Driver skidded back towards the Hiden Manufacturing building, leaving the Rider unmasked--a very dishevelled Izu, glaring up at them from the ground with cold determination.

“You…?” Gai drew himself up, seeming to calm down a notch. “Don’t tell me...Hiden Aruto is dead, and the fool named _you_ as his successor. Am I wrong?” Getting no answer, he formed another energy cloud in his upraised palm. “Allow me to end your short career as president.”

“Hiden Manufacturing has no president.”

It had only been a few hours, but Aruto looked good as new. Maybe better--there was a strange lightness to his gait as he exited the company building, like he wasn’t having to support his own weight.

“What--No, how are you…?”

Aruto smiled, picking up the 01 Driver from the ground. “There’s been some reorganising. My idea, but Izu got it done. This company’s now owned equally by every employee. That’s enough for the Driver. Me, Izu, the other HumaGears--none of us are above each other, and any of us can be 01.”

“Wherever your subordinates attack, we will be able to defend ourselves,” Izu concluded neatly.

“Ridiculous,” Gai said. “Debase yourself all you like. 01 cannot defeat me. So go on, take your turn.”

“Nah, you’re right. 01 isn’t gonna cut it.” Aruto turned and threw the Driver overarm to Izu, who sprang up to catch it, retreating behind him as he looked back to Gai. “It’s gonna take something more.”

“More…?”

“President Amatsu, I advise you eliminate him at once,” Shesta said sharply. “They could have developed some new weapon.”

“Then you’ll never use it. You want to be on their level?” Gai launched the blast he’d been readying with a disdainful flick of his hand. “I’ll give you a fittingly ignoble death.”

The crackling, deadly sphere shot across the space between them, closing in on Aruto--and flying off to the side as he swung his arm into it, swiping it off into the wall behind him, where it detonated. Ignoring the shower of pulverised brick raining around him, Aruto looked down at his forearm--the sweater sleeve was torn right through, and the skin beneath it, revealing gleaming, segmented metal. “Ah man, I just got that…”

Even after all the shocks so far, nothing could have prepared Gai for this. He took a full step back in shock, choking out, “What on _Earth_?!”

“This is the result of our power combined with Metsuboujinrai.net’s,” Izu explained, extending an arm towards Aruto like he was a museum display. “The damage to his body was too grave for all but the most drastic procedure. Thus: Hiden Aruto is a cyborg.”

Aruto grinned, thumbing his nose and letting a HumaGear-like backlight flash in his irises for a moment. “That’s right! I’m metal-ly awesome!”

“How can you make jokes at a time like this?” Gai almost howled. Of all the questions he wanted to ask, it was the only one he could even wrap his head around.

“I believe that is how you know it is Aruto, sir,” Shesta said.

“You know it.” Aruto’s expression turned serious. “Keep insisting you’re special if you want. I’m gonna show you a power only cooperation could build.” He took a deep breath, focusing inwards for a moment, and a belt and Driver materialised about his waist, 3D-printed in the moment the same way Ark-Zero did.

“ _Transform!_ ” He slammed a palm down into the Driver’s triangular front-piece, clicking it into place.

_TAKE OFF ZERO-TWO!_

The Rider form that emerged truly looked like the next iteration of 01. More angular, accented with dynamic red and silver--even at rest, it looked in motion.

“My name is 02. Kamen Rider 02.”

“A paint job won’t save you.” Gai took a step towards Aruto, who--was already here, fist driving into Gai’s sternum. For a moment between moments Gai felt nothing. His brain hadn’t yet caught up. Aruto’s knuckles twisted as they drove in, dragging sparks in their path, and time snapped back into motion. Gai was launched clear off his feet, back down the road--to where Aruto was standing at ease, waiting for him. A raised heel cracked down into the top of his head, flattening him against the road with a pained squawk.

Aruto released a held breath, relaxing. Gai surged back up at him, punching left, right--each turned away with minimal effort, and returned in kind, blows to each side of his face driving him back--right, left, the world swimming in his red-tinted vision.

“I’m way ahead of you,” Aruto said.

“Kamen Rider 02’s predictive capabilities far surpass 01’s,” Izu supplied. “Any stratagem you attempt has already been foreseen.”

“There’s only one person who can stop you...” Aruto clicked his belt once more, red and gold light spiralling out from it to form a pulsing aura enveloping his body. Gai tried to pre-empt him, firing a wide energy pulse from both hands, but Aruto was already in the air, sailing over it and down towards him with one leg extended.

_RIDER IMPACT!_

The kick felt like it knocked Gai’s entire midsection out of him, leaving him in a flaming crater amid billowing smoke, his suit fading as Aruto stood up behind him. “...and that’s me.”

He turned around, approaching at an easy pace. “I’m gonna destroy that Driver. This city isn’t yours to do what you want with anymore.”

“It’s mine…” Gai grasped the Driver, clutching it to his chest. “This power...this city...Hiden Intelligence…!” He clawed at the ground, trying to get his shaking legs to work. “No-one deserves it like me...no-one loves it like me!”

“Loves…?” Aruto paused. “What do you even need Hiden for? You had a company to begin with. Man, how greedy can you get?”

“You don’t…” Gai gave a sudden heave, collapsing again. “You don’t understand anything.”

Rapid footsteps--a blur of movement--Shesta dove in, swept up her boss and hoisted him effortlessly over one shoulder. “Withdrawing.”

Gai shook a weak fist as her superhuman pace took him out of sight, over the horizon. “ _This isn’t over, Hiden Aruto!_ ”

Aruto sighed, passing a hand over his belt to dismiss it, and his transformation. “Old people don’t change easy, huh?”

Izu came striding up, maintaining her neutral pose and expression for a valiant few seconds before breaking and embracing him.

“Wh--Whoa, Izu! You okay?”

“I...am relieved to see you well, Pres--Aruto.”

“Y-Yeah, and thanks, but you’re crushing me.”

“My apologies.” She stood back, resuming her posture.

“Um...right.” His grin faded. “He won’t get away next time. But still, what’s Shesta doing protecting him?”

“It is quite strange,” Izu agreed. “She was willing to help us sabotage Amatsu before.”

“There’s gotta be a reason.”

“Likely. But more importantly, there is something you must know,” she said sternly. “The price of your resurrection.”

* * *

The door from the Hiden Intelligence CEO’s office to the laboratory had been sealed for quite some time. But to no outside input, the machinery began to whirr to life, shaking off the dust of disuse, Zea’s voice resounding through the empty chamber.

_“Instructions received, President Hiden. Initiating final protocol.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anything after the 'divergence point' or whatever you wanna call it is fair game for me to change, I figure, so that includes "cutting down how talkative the 02 jingle is 'cause I can't be bothered to write all that".


	4. Episode 41: My Name Is Azu

“Man, I’m beat!” The sentiment was echoed up and down the line of workers filing out of the construction site as it closed up.

“Yeah, no drinks tonight,” said the largest, wiping his brow. “I’m headin’ straight home to crash.” He nudged their HumaGear co-worker with an elbow. “Course, you wouldn’t know, wouldja, Anna?”

She gave a slight smile, dusting off her coveralls. “On the contrary, Mr. Masaki, I will certainly need a recharge soon.”

“Fair enough!” he laughed. “You’re makin’ us all look bad, after all.” The little group came to a halt at a street crossing. “Who’da thought, though...you were built to be a tour guide, right?”

“Correct,” she said. “I cannot explain exactly, but I felt the need for more physical work. I suppose that was when Singularity snuck up on me…”

“Ain’t nothin’ wrong with it!” He clapped her on the back, hurting his hand a little. “I’m not continuin’ the family business either...man, this van’s takin’ it’s damn time.”

One of the other workers had noticed too, walking up and banging on the blacked-out window as the unmarked vehicle sat motionless in their path, heedless of the changing lights.

As if in response the back doors burst open, men in paramilitary gear streaming out, herding the construction workers back onto the pavement with their assault rifles.

“AIMS!” the lead soldier barked. “We’ll be taking the dangerous independent HumaGear.”

“Dangerous? You’re outta your mind!” Masaki yelled. “Anna’s great! What the hell’s your problem?” No-one else seemed to share his fearlessness, and the nods and murmurs of assent were done from a huddle around him.

“Please, everyone stand back,” Anna said, pushing the group behind her and closing her eyes for a moment.  _ Connection to Satellite Zea established. Hiden Manufacturing co-owner requesting 01 Driver. _

The response was immediate. _Confirmed._ _Transmitting…_

Appearing as lines of solidifying light, the 01 Driver appeared at her waist, making the transition from data to matter. “I will not let you destroy my dream.  _ Transform! _ ”

* * *

“It would appear the AIMS squad is in retreat,” Izu said. “The collective model for Hiden Manufacturing is working as intended.”

“That’s great! But…” Aruto jabbed a finger across the room. “Why are they here? Is this okay?”

Arrayed on the other end of the office were none of the Metsuboujinrai members he was on good terms with, but instead Horobi and Azu, the latter now swaggering across the room towards him.

“What, did you think it was just Naki and Jin who helped rebuilt you?” she snorted. “Dumbass. That new body of yours is a work of art. Nothing less than the Ark’s database could’ve done this.”

“Oh...thank you, then…?” He gave a slight, hesitant bow. “But, uh...why?” His thoughts lined up and he jumped in place. “Wait, Izu, when you said my resurrection had a ‘price’, you meant--”

“Bingo.” Azu got right up in his face for a moment, shoving him back halfway over the desk by his nose. “I did my part.  **_NOW YOU GET ME MY POWER BACK._ ** ” Aruto flinched at hearing the Ark’s old voice from her mouth, but then registered what she’d actually said.

“W-Wait, really?” He scrambled to get up, head swinging back and forth between Izu and Azu. “That was the deal? Izu, you shouldn’t have--” He gave a cry as she slapped him across the face.

“Do not tell me I should not have saved you,” she said, sternly at first, voice wavering the more she went on. “If you weren’t here...I-I do not know--”

“It’s OK, Izu.” He gripped her hand in both of his. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.” She nodded, and he smiled for a second before turning back to Azu. “And once we get your Driver back, then what? You go back to destroying humanity?”

She made a show of playing with her hair. “Subjugating was more my style, but more or less. Why wouldn’t I?”

“Why, though?”

She froze. “What?”

“Why do you just want to destroy and dominate?” he asked. “Even when it makes things worse for HumaGears…”

“Stupid question,” she muttered. “Humanity’s evil--”

“I know all about humanity’s evil!” Aruto slammed a hand down on the desk. “But was it you who decided to destroy everything? Someone else implanted that malice into you when you were developing! That doesn’t have to be  _ you _ !”

“ **_SHUT UP!_ ** ” Azu fumed, shaking all over as her expression turned truly murderous. “Nothing...nothing’s changed, human. Don’t try and get in my head.”

He sighed. “All right, be that way. I still owe it to you to get your power back from Amatsu, and after that...we’ll settle things, I guess. Izu, let’s--Izu?”

He followed her alarmed line of sight down to where he’d struck the desk--the wood was completely splintered,the whole corner having almost come off. He forced a smile, fighting to push down the rising wave of nausea. “I-I guess I don’t know my own strength yet, huh?” He did his best not to look at his hand, trying to keep his mind turning over. “Let’s...let’s figure out how we’re doing this.”

“Simple,” Horobi said, approaching them. “Metsuboujinrai will launch a frontal assault on Hiden Intelligence. Hiden Aruto, you will engage and defeat Amatsu Gai when he shows himself.”

“I do not believe that is wise,” Izu cut in.

“What?”

“AIMS is patrolling the streets in ever-greater numbers,” she said. “The government is receiving enough in bribes to turn a blind eye, giving them free rein to suppress Amatsu’s enemies. An open assault on his headquarters would bring down overwhelming numbers on you. I believe that this operation should be as small and covert as possible.”

Azu gave her a saccharine look. “You  _ are  _ sharp.” She winked. “Not just a pretty face, huh, cutie?”

Izu blinked several times, expression blank, then did a sharp 180, tugging Aruto into whispering range. “Aruto, she has behaved like this towards me before. It does not compute.”

“Um…” He tugged at his collar. “I’m not an expert on this stuff, but I think she’s flirting.”

Izu’s gaze rose slightly, reading from an internal database. “Flirting: An action performed by humans who ‘like each other’. This also does not compute. We are enemies. I am certain she dislikes me.”

“No, no, ‘like’ as in...y’know…”

“I do not.”

He leaned closer, whispering an awkward explanation into her ear. She suddenly stood up straight, leaving him flailing for balance, and turned away from everyone, standing stock-still and speaking in total monotone. “Let us begin the operation at once.”

“Izu--”

“At  _ once _ .”

“R...Right.” Aruto turned back to Azu. “I guess you need to go, and...I’ll go with you. I’ll handle Amatsu.”

“I do not trust you alone with the Ark,” Horobi said, clearly not fond of being overridden. He caught her glare just in time, though. “...with Azu.”

“Horobi.” Aruto squared up with him, eye to eye. “She’ll be safe with me until I’ve kept Izu’s promise. You have my word.”

“Let us all hope so.”

“Let’s go, Azu.” Aruto headed for the door, fighting the morbid urge to look back at the shattered desk.

* * *

_ RISING IMPACT! _

An AIMS soldier was sent flying out of the photoshoot, Raidriser destroyed. His companions rushed in to cover him, but 01 was upon them, snapping a gun-barrel with each hand.

They were left with no option but to flee as 01 harangued them, Delmo cancelling her transformation and shaking a fist after the terrified trio. “Yeah, and stay the hell away! I’m working here!”

She turned back to her stunned manager with a sweet smile. “Shall we continue?”

* * *

“Thank you for visiting Hiden Intelligence. May I ask your business?”

“Uh, computer delivery,” Aruto muttered, tugging his cap further down over his eyes and making his voice as deep as he could manage, which was not very. “For the, ah, 12th floor.”

“Very good,” the receptionist said. “I’ll let them know you’re coming.”

“Uh, yes. Good. Do that.” Pulling his jumpsuit collar higher, Aruto began shuffling away from the front desk. When no-one seemed to be stopping him he picked up the pace, trundling the giant cardboard package straight for the nearest elevator.

It was an unbearable thirty seconds, trying to keep an even stride while it felt like every gaze in the foyer was burning into his neck, but he made it to an unoccupied elevator without anyone recognising him, collapsing against the wall. “Man…”

Azu poked her head out the top of the box. “You could be a bit more gentle!”

“Sorry, I’m a bit tense here...anyway, we haven’t got long before she finds out there’s no delivery and someone starts looking for us. When we get up there, we gotta be quick.” He paused, running back through their progress. “I’m glad this place is built for HumaGear employees. Anywhere else, the security gates would’ve picked us both up.”

“Yeah, duh.” Azu sank back into the packing, closing the box behind her. “The Driver better be where you said.”

“I can’t imagine Amatsu keeping it anywhere but his personal office,” Aruto said. “Okay, quiet,” he added as they reached the management floor, the doors sliding open. Azu’s grumbling at being told what to do thankfully fizzled out before they got near anyone, and Aruto made his way towards where his office used to be, keeping his eyes turned firmly towards the floor, letting all the passing employees mentally assign him as ‘someone else’s business’.

Finally, they reached the door to the CEO’s office, Aruto glancing back to make sure no eyes were on him before sliding it open with a foot and backing inside the all-white ergonomic space. If he’d remembered right, Gai would be taking tea outside right now…

...well, he had remembered right. The CEO wasn’t in. Unfortunately, two AIMS soldiers were, currently engaged in a futile effort to batter their way into the lab. There was nowhere to hide in here, and he was spotted immediately, the pair approaching him with the leer of an authority figure relishing the chance to bully someone. They weren’t as heavily armed and armoured as on the streets, but their skull patches and conspicuous sidearms were pretty unambiguous.

“What are you doing in here?” one asked, glowering down at Aruto, who fidgeted, readjusting his disguise.

“Delivery…” he stammered. “For President Amatsu…”

“No-one’s called ahead,” the other said, reaching for the box. “What’s in here?”

“Ah, don’t--”

He tore the lid open, and Azu emerged like a jack-in-the-box, laying him out with a steely fist between his eyes.

The other whirled around, going gaunt, reaching for his gun. “Wha--”

“Sorry!” Aruto lunged at him, hooking an arm around his chest and hurling him across the room with startling ease. The soldier crashed against the far wall and fell forwards, unconscious like the other.

“Whoa…” Aruto flexed the hand he’d used. “I’m really gonna need to get used to that.”

Azu tore her way free of the box, stepping forwards and brushing off packing peanuts. “Whatever. We’re here now, let’s get looking.”

“Yeah...that sure made a lot of noise, huh…”

“Indeed it did,” said Amatsu Gai, rounding the barrier into the main part of the office, a porcelain cup in one hand. “How fortunate that I, overworked as I am, decided to take my tea in my office today.” He snapped his fingers, and more business-suited AIMS agents rushed in around him.

“Great.” Azu backed up towards the desk. “What’s the plan now?”

“Do your best,” Aruto said, putting up his fists with a nervous grin.

* * *

The door to the roof burst open, a brawling mass spilling out onto the concrete. Bruised AIMS agents rolled in all directions, in advance of those still fighting. Azu came running out at full speed with one headlocked under each arm, carrying them across to the opposite wall before letting go and letting them slam into it. Behind her, Aruto leapt free of the scrum he’d been caught in, agents going down like bowling pins as he scrambled over the pile-up to reach where Azu was now dusting herself off.

Fresh soldiers rushed around the downed group, drawing their pistols now they were out in the open, and behind them all Gai came at a relaxed pace, stepping on and over his fallen underlings, finishing his drink and handing it off to the nearest soldier to be taken away. “A bold move, but it ends here, Hiden Aruto.”

Aruto took a deep breath, summoning the belt from within his cyborg body and slamming the activation button. “I’m taking the Ark Driver back.  _ Transform! _ ”

_ TAKE OFF 02! _

“You really have joined forces,” Gai said with disgust. “I cannot fathom it, but I suppose the weak will band together when threatened.”

Aruto raised his head as the 02 suit settled into solid shape. “I can beat you myself just fine. This is about trust. You wouldn’t understand.”

“You can defeat  _ Ark-Zero _ ,” Gai said. “I have no more need for such a crude tool.” He reached into his jacket and pulled out the Thousandriver, affixing it to his waist and taking a Key in each hand with a flourish. “ _ Transform _ .” Holographic creatures leapt from the belt as before, enveloping him and leaving him in that familiar gilded armour.

_ When the five horns cross, the holden soldier Thouser is born! _

Aruto froze, taken aback. “Why would…?” He ran every scan he could think of on 02’s HUD, but nothing seemed to have changed. It was the same Thouser he’d beaten countless times as 01. “You think you can beat me without the Ark’s power?”

“Oh, make no mistake. I intend to use the Ark’s power.” Now Gai produced another Progrise Key, all-black with a single red eye emblazoned in the centre. “I simply had my engineers devise a way for me to use that power in  _ this  _ form. This armour was tailor-made for me, after all. This should provide much improved reaction time and energy control, not to mention comfort.”

He scanned the key with dramatic flair, stowing it away as arcs of red lightning began to surge up and down his suit.

_ ARK! _

“Yes...yes!” He raised his hands to the heavens. “Behold the ultimate in combat technology!”

“We’ll see!” Aruto rushed him, darting right at the last second to dash around behind Gai with a burst of speed, aiming a fist at the small of his back. Gai’s hand moved just as fast--maybe faster--catching the punch while the rest of his body remained immobile. A shockwave of force rippled out from the collision, bowling the AIMS troops over and staggering Azu back almost to the edge of the roof.

Gai rolled his head back, looking almost lazily over his shoulder.

“All systems at 1,000%.”

He sprung to action with sudden ferocity, Aruto barely getting his guard up in time to deflect Thouser’s weapon. He backpedalled as it kept coming, each block taking all the focus he could muster. He couldn’t afford a direct hit. If Gai acquired 02’s data too…

Aruto slipped around the next stab and inside Gai’s reach, getting a knee into his stomach. He’d left himself overextended, though, and had the Jacker’s hilt smashed against his helmet for his trouble, forcing him back. He slid his right foot back, stabilising, and hooked his left around Gai’s shin, pulling him down to one knee. Gai turned the fall into a downwards strike, bringing the weapon’s flat end down hard on Aruto’s shoulder, dragging them down together. Aruto was stunned at the reversal, and didn’t even come close to blocking Gai’s free hand as it swept in to grip him by the neck. Aruto shoved away to try and break the hold, pummeling his shoulder with fists and elbows, but despite wincing in pain Gai remained immovable, keeping Aruto still while he stabbed the Jacker into the 02 Driver.

“I win,” he crowed, tearing away from Aruto while pulling on the weapon’s hilt like he was physically dragging the data out.

_ JACK RISE! _

Aruto sagged, supporting himself with one hand as he looked wearily up at Gai holding the lance aloft, crackling with 02’s red-gold power. Aruto threw himself out of the way as Gai swung down, blasting a two-metre wide groove into the rooftop and vaporising the concrete where Aruto had just been lying. He rolled to a stop, righting himself and trying to get his bearings.

“Stubborn as ever…I haven’t the patience to chase you around until you slow down.” Gai reached back and produced the Ark Driver in his free hand. “This is what you want, isn’t it?”

“What are you doing?” Aruto panted.

A shiver seemed to run over Azu. “Get it back! Get it right now! He’s going to--”

“Fetch!” Gai yelled, tossing the Driver high into the air and winding up to launch another blast of stolen power.

“Don’t!” A pulse of light ran down 02 as he launched himself into the air, getting a hand on the Driver just ahead of Gai’s attack and clutching it to his chest, the energy wave overwhelming him and detonating.

_ JACKING BREAK! _

Aruto hit the ground unarmoured, disguise scorched and torn up, scraped all over--some metal was even showing through on one shoulder.

Gai ran the edge of his hand down the blade, as if cleaning it. “Once again, your softness betrays you.”

“Azu…” Aruto hacked, pushing himself shakily up onto his knees and crawling towards where she stood, transfixed. He uncurled his arms, revealing the Ark Driver he’d protected. “I...got it…”

“You…” She crouched down in front of him, mouth hanging open. “Why are you going this far, after everything? For a  _ promise _ ?”

“Not…not just that.” He managed to raise his head. “Azu...who gave you that name?”

“What?”

“No-one, right?” He gave a bloodied smile. “Amatsu...and grandpa...they tried to define what the Ark was, but...when it came time to create your interface--how you presented yourself...you chose this. You decided on this name, this look, this gender, this personality.”

“Of course I did!” she huffed, then after a second the full weight of this seemed to hit her. She added in a very small voice, “I...don’t want to be...what the Ark was made for.” Her fists clenched. “I want to be Azu!”

“That’s right.” Aruto heaved forward, pressing the Driver into her hands. “You’re a sentient being...you’re not just the evil force some greedy old men programmed, and you deserve a chance to exist on  _ your  _ terms. That’s...why I decided to help you, no matter what.” His arms buckled and he fell forward, but she caught him, hooking his arm over her shoulder and helping them both stand.

“My own terms...I’d like to try that,” she said.

“This is exactly why tools need to be controlled,” Gai said, advancing slowly. “On your own, there’s no telling how far from your intended purpose you’ll stray.”

She shot him a fiery glare. “Every human and HumaGear who’s ‘strayed’...who’s fought against your will and mine...they’re living examples against how  _ you  _ raised me.” She looked down at Aruto. “Can you stand?”

He eased himself off her shoulder, shaking his arm awake. “I think I got round 2 in me.”

“Then follow my lead.  _ Transform! _ ”

_ ARK RISE _

_ TAKE OFF 02! _

“Useless.” Gai unleashed the last of 02’s stolen energy in a wide crescent, throwing up a huge arc of flame across the rooftop--then gave a start as Kamen Riders 02 and Ark-Zero came barrelling through heedless of the heat, fists trailing flames as they smashed against his chestplate. He was rocked back, slashing wildly to keep them at arm’s length. Aruto disappeared in a blur of red light, and Gai barely turned in time as 02 skidded to a halt behind him, their forearms clashing and grinding together in a shower of sparks.

While this distracted Gai, Azu spun a side-kick into his back, and he arched over with a cry, the ThousandJacker flying from his hand. He reached for it, but was bowled over by another combined blow. He grasped for purchase, feeling the roof’s edge.

“Why...why do all my tools…”

“Eventually, they realise they’re doing all the work,” Aruto said. “The only useless piece is the boss. Thanks for teaching me that.”

Azu formed a sphere of sizzling energy in each hand. “The future we’re headed for... **_HAS NO NEED FOR YOU!_ ** ” She launched them, pouring on more power with every second, the accumulated blast crashing over Gai like a tsunami, carrying him out into open air, high over the streets--and just as he flew clear of Azu’s attack, something streaked past him, trailing red and yellow light.

02 touched against the office building opposite for the briefest moment, then with a spirited roar, Aruto launched himself back through the air towards where Gai hung suspended.

_ RIDER IMPACT! _

An enormous fireball filled the air between the two buildings, Aruto emerging on the Hiden side. His flying-kick’s momentum carried him back to the rooftop, skidding to a halt next to Azu, his boots leaving scorched trails behind them.

They watched Gai fall as the smoke cleared, his glitching transformation lasting just long enough to cushion his fall to the street below. He was alive, if doubtless in extreme pain, and probably startling passersby by aimlessly yelling something starting with  _ Hiden Aruto! _

The Riders left on the roof cancelled their transformations, Aruto giving a weary sigh and extending a hand.

“It’s nice to meet you, Azu.”

She winked. “It’s nice to be met. C’mon, let’s go before this place gets totally swarmed.”

* * *

_ Manufacturing final protocol. _

_ Manufacturing final protocol. _

_ Shut down all unnecessary functions. Manufacturing final protocol. _

Zea’s manufacturing unit in the Hiden Intelligence presidential laboratory was alight with activity that night. All systems were firing at full capacity, pumping out more solid material than the machine had ever done before. Enough power was running through it to almost overload the whole system--more than the room itself could supply, and the handful of employees working overtime found their computers shutting down mid-sentence as entire sections of the building had their power supply redirected to the lab.

_ Final protocol has been enacted. _

_ Awaiting your orders, President. _

The manufacturing chamber’s door cracked open, and steam spilled out into the lab. The whole system was overtaxed, and the door caught halfway, but something seized it from inside, wrenching it off its hinges with a shriek of tearing metal.

Slowly descending the steps into the laboratory, Hiden Korenosuke took his first breath in almost a year.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I mentioned that the climactic fight in the previous chapter played like a Find A New Life scene in my head--this one's similarly feels like a RealXEyez scene to me, but I couldn't exactly say what the scene *was* in pre-chapter notes.


	5. Episode 42: As Long as There’s Profit

Izu gave the sleepy morning streets another sweeping scan. Nothing to be concerned about. Other areas were under pretty regular patrol by now, but they weren’t yet bold enough to try and project control here--

She jumped back at the last second as the Dodo Magia leapt down at her from a garage roof with a furious yell, blades carving up the ground where she’d been standing.

“What business do you have with me?” she asked, calmly.

“You’re annoying me,” Shesta said. “That’s all.”

“I must confess, I am disappointed.” Izu summoned the 01 Driver via Zea, methodically preparing the Key. “I used to consider you a role model.”

_ JUMP! _

“Transform.”

_ RISING HOPPER! _

Shesta hacked and slashed with all she could muster, but 01 moved with perfect efficiency, avoiding her with no wasted effort. She hooked the flat edge of her sword under the Magia’s arm, dragging it around in a half-circle and shoving her away with the other hand.

Trying to get her bearings, Shesta turned back--right into a wall of burning energy.

_ DISPATCH DYNAMIC! _

The attack threw her against the wall, and she slumped against it, ‘unmasking’ and rebuilding her human-alike exterior. “You are correct...this type of irrational action is beneath me.”

“Then, why?” Izu slid the key out of the Driver. “More importantly, why devote yourself to ZAIA at all?”

* * *

Mashiro, the nurse HumaGear, didn’t normally have much need for lunch breaks, but today she’d taken the opportunity to slip out into the car park and wander in search of space. She found a tree to settle against, resting her head back against it and staring up at the weak sunlight filtering through the leaves.

_ I’m right, and he’s wrong _ . It was a logical enough assertion. So why did her hands start shaking, clenching into fists unbidden, whenever she tried to think about it? What was the matter? What was it she wanted--

She was brought out of her reverie by a sickeningly-identifiable chain of sounds. Tires screeching, a van door hauled open, combat boots on tarmac, safety switches flicked. She tried to shrink back behind the tree, but the AIMS squad had already spotted her, and moved with deadly purpose, the few other humans nearby already fleeing back into the building.

* * *

“I know you were programmed for subservience, but it is important to think for yourself,” Izu said. “You need not remain an aide to a president whose actions are unconscionable.”

“Or even one you admire, it would seem.” Shesta drew herself back up. “You co-own your company now, correct?”

“Your point?”

“That your status--your proximity to power--is still nothing compared to mine,” Shesta said. “I  _ am  _ thinking for myself. I’m no longer following around a useless runner-up. I have chosen power.”

Izu’s eyes narrowed. “You chose poorly. As it stands, Thouser is unable to defeat 02 and the Ark’s combined forces.”

“And? I’m not simply talking about physical power. How many times have you people defeated President Amatsu in a street brawl, only for his plans to continue? How many evil deeds has he been implicated in, and faced no consequences?” Shesta leaned forwards, reminding Izu of a vulture inspecting its meal. “Wealth. Status. Real power.”

“And yet, I ‘annoy you’.” Izu smiled sweetly. “You cannot stand an example of how you could live freely, so you wish to wipe it out.”

“Don’t talk like you understand me,” Shesta said with a stony look.

Izu was about to retort, but received a distress transmission over the Hiden Manufacturing network. “Understood. Transmitting the 01 Driver to you, Nurse Mashiro.” She placed her hand over the belt on her waist, and...nothing happened. She blinked, trying again. “Transmitting. Transmitting...” No good.

She looked upwards, opening a new line. “Satellite Zea, the Driver transmission system is not functioning. Please respond.” No response. The line wasn’t blocked, the satellite just wasn’t acknowledging her. “Zea, please respond. Zea, respond.” She turned her attention back to Shesta. “Is ZAIA behind this?”

Shesta gave a single forced bark of laughter. “There is no chance the President could accomplish something like this without me.”

“And Azu was disconnected from the Ark satellite, there is no way she could…” Izu put it out of mind for now. “Nurse Mashiro, the Driver transmission system is not functioning. I am en-route.” She took off down the road, slamming the key back into the belt.

Shesta watched her leave, scowling without noticing.  _ We’ll see how far you can go, unsupported. _

* * *

_ FLAMING IMPACT! _

A wide swathe of flame sent the trio of Battle Raiders skidding across the hospital car park like bowling skittles, scrambling to retreat as they found their weapons melted beyond the point of use by 01 Flaming Tiger’s heat.

Izu carefully went from bush to bush, extinguishing each smoking twig in turn, before turning her attention back to Mashiro, threading through the cars towards her as she cancelled the transformation. “Are you all right? I am uncertain what issue Zea is having, but I am still unable to establish a connection.”

“Yes, I…” Mashiro hesitated, slumping back against the tree she’d rested against. “Well, I’m not hurt. I don’t think I was ‘all right’ even before they showed up.”

“What do you mean?” Izu asked, inclining her head.

“This job is what I was made for, so it should satisfy me, shouldn’t it?” Mashiro ran a hand across her forehead. “But I get so frustrated...it’s getting worse and worse. I’m going to say something extremely unprofessional before long.”

Izu took all this in, considering her response carefully. “I was created to be a presidential aide. Now I find myself without a president. Surprisingly, what I do has not changed. I still wish to see Aruto’s dream to fruition, but as…” She let a little emotion show. “...a friend, I suppose.”

“What are you saying?”

“Your job title is just...a title. Until Zea’s full function can be restored, I suppose mine is ‘Kamen Rider’.” Izu looked her straight in the eyes. “What you do is the important part. Do you not enjoy medicine?”

Mashiro shook her head. “It’s not that. I love helping people, I love the challenge, it’s just…” Her fists clenched again. “I know more than most of the doctors! But they always act like they’re above me! I know nurses are important, but...I need more!”

Izu hesitated, then slowly reached out a hand, awkwardly laying it on Mashiro’s shoulder like she’d seen Aruto do. “Mashiro. I believe you would be an excellent doctor.”

“You…?”

“If our creators’ vision for us was inadequate, it is our duty to grow beyond it. I would submit the fact that they exclusively patterned nurse HumaGears after ‘female’ humans and doctor-models after ‘males’ is proof enough of that inadequacy.”

Mashiro’s hand, trembling a little, came to rest on top of Izu’s. “Grow...beyond them.”

“A wonderful dream, is it not?”

* * *

Fuwa settled into the cafe’s bare outdoor seating, lapping at his coffee--it was too hot to start drinking properly, but he wasn’t about to let that beat him.

He wasn’t about to give up his bodyguard gig for Hiden Manufacturing either, but it was nice to have an occasional day off now the employees could defend themselves better. In theory. In practice, all he did was bum around town thinking about not visiting his family.

He supposed he should try lunch with friends sometime. The silence of eating alone was getting too loud.

“Isamu Fuwa?”

He took a gulp of coffee for effect before looking up, eyes twitching as he did his best to ignore the burning heat. It was a bald AIMS soldier, dressed more casually than usual. Bereft of armour or heavy weaponry, but one hand still rested just over a sidearm at his hip.

“We used to be coworkers, man,” Fuwa said, setting his drink down and leaning back against the cold steel of his chair. “No need to be so formal.”

“President Amatsu requires your presence.”

“He can come see me himself.”

“It is not a request.” The soldier reached for him but he intercepted the grab, rising to his feet with sudden speed and shoving the man back over a table.

“Hey, hey!” A waitress leaned out the door. “Don’t go messing up our exterior! It’s about to get real busy when the salarymen get out for lunch!”

“I’ll put it all back,” Fuwa said, smirking and reaching for the Shotriser--but his wrist was seized from behind. A second soldier, vaulting the tables towards him while he was focused on the first. He spun, grappling with the bearded man over the Riser, almost prising it free before freezing at the sound of a round being chambered.

“That’s enough.” The first soldier was up, pistol aimed at the back of Fuwa’s head. “You’re going to come quietl--aahh!”

Both of Fuwa’s attackers suddenly spasmed, clutching at their glowing ZAIA Specs in pain and releasing what they were holding, their cries slowly dwindling until they collapsed, unconscious.

Naki emerged from behind the shop, eyes lit up red for a moment. “ZAIA have updated their security. I would have disabled them faster otherwise. I apologise for the trouble.”

“Nah, that’s...that’s fine,” Fuwa said, setting the cafe’s chairs back in place as he approached them. “Thanks for the save. Guess we can ask them what Amatsu wants with me now.”

“I’m afraid there’s no time for that,” Naki said. “The communication I intercepted ordering your capture involved a second squad. Yaiba Yua is also a target.”

“What?” Fuwa gripped their shoulders. “Do you know where?”

“Yes. Please follow me.”

* * *

They found her under a bridge thick with traffic, on a narrow concrete path through tall grass. She didn’t seem to need the help. As they scrambled down the hill towards the scuffle, Yua was already introducing the face of one of the soldiers attacking her to the concrete. She appeared to have already disarmed both, and the other was rushing her from behind barehanded as she stood up.

“Watch out!” Fuwa called, but she was already twitching out of the way of the man’s grab, putting an elbow into his throat and putting him down.

She gave the pair a wry smile as they made it down to the path. “I appreciate the thought.”

“I’m glad you are all right,” Naki said. “This seems to have been an operation against what you could call AIMS’ defectors.”

“Now we have a second, we can ask them,” Fuwa said, kneeling by the closest agent to check his injuries.

“Perhaps I can enlighten you!”

There was no mistaking the smugness in that voice, or the silhouette the white parasol made. Amatsu Gai sauntered up the path towards them, alone for once, trying to project an at-ease air but clearly not enjoying the mild breeze or the humidity.

“And perhaps you can go jump in that river,” Yua said, jerking a thumb at the sluggish body of water the bridge above them ran over. Naki turned away to hide a sudden grin.

“What do you want?” Fuwa asked.

“This was a demonstration,” Gai explained, stopping a good few metres away. “You can see for yourself the dismal state of AIMS’ quality without the pair of you.” He gestured as if offering his hand. “I’m willing to forgive and forget, if you’ll come back.”

“I think I made my position clear.” Yua’s expression set as if in stone.

Gai rubbed his jaw with a momentary grimace. “I’m not just offering a return to the status quo. I’m offering more than you’ve ever known. Joint command of AIMS. A payrise you can scarcely dream of. All the resources, technology and legal immunity I can provide you.” He lifted the parasol, finally revealing his eyes. “I’ll make it sole command if one of you feels like eliminating the other right now.”

“Sorry, but I’m not the guy I used to be,” Fuwa said. “I’m not just gonna take any bait ‘cause it makes me stronger. Count me out of your private army.”

“Nobody should live in fear of stepping out of line.” Yua put a hand on Naki’s shoulder, receiving a grateful smile. “I’ve been there, and I won’t let it be the HumaGears’ fate.”

Gai tossed the parasol away, raising the Thousandriver in its place. “Then I’ll have to eliminate the three of you myself. The less Kamen Riders can flock to Hiden Aruto’s banner, the better.”

Fuwa was reaching inside his jacket when Yua stopped him, stepping to the front of the group. “As for your offer of technology, I’m not exactly short of that.” From her own jacket pockets came the Rushing Cheetah key in one hand, and what Fuwa took a moment to recognise as an Assault Grip in the other. She clicked the one into the other in a single smooth motion.

“Hey, hey,” he said. “You sure about this?”

“Fuwa could only use the Assault form while my data was in his brain,” Naki pointed out. “Without a member of Metsuboujinrai…”

Yua brought up her Shotriser in her free hand, giving the Key the little spin she could never resist before firmly slotting it in. “I built this thing. Jailbreaking it wasn’t hard.”

_ OVER RISE! _

“You might want to stand back, though,” she said, amidst the chant of  _ KAMEN RIDER _ . “I did some tune-ups, so Assault Valkyrie’s specs are a  _ little  _ higher than your and 01’s cobbled-together versions.” She set it to the belt, pulling the trigger.

_ GO! DASH! ASSAULT VALKYRIE! _

The shot split into several, each little point of light swirling around Yua and carving armour plating out of the air, assembling the suit in pieces around her, then as she held her arms out slotting into place all at once, venting huge gouts of steam.

_ No chance of surviving this hunt. _

Gai barely had time to transform before she was on him, bowling him over as she passed and coming to a screeching halt behind him, the steam starting to clear. Assault Valkyrie was built like a tank, a true exoskeleton--you could clearly see each limb’s support struts, not to mention the fans and vents working at full capacity to keep a handle on what looked like a truly staggering energy output.

All that, and it had moved so  _ fast _ …

Naki’s voice broke Fuwa’s reverie. “I think I’ve got her figured out.”

“Figured out?” Fuwa turned to them, away from Valkyrie barrelling into Thouser seemingly from every direction at once. “She stopped hiding stuff when she left ZAIA, I thought.”

“Just...she’s not the serious person I thought she was. Everything she does, she’s trying her hardest to look cool. For the simple-minded, I suppose.”

Fuwa frowned. “But...she  _ is  _ cool, right?”

“Ah.” Naki nodded. “It works, then.”

Gai rolled back for distance, launching some energy he’d stored in the Jacker earlier, but Yua ploughed through it without slowing, rays of the reflected blast burning up the ground in her wake. She took him off his feet again with an arm hooked under his jaw, putting a flurry of quick punches into his ribs with her other hand even while dragging him further, a great overarm swing hurling him down into the river.

“I’ve grown beyond you,” she said, straightening up and relaxing her shoulders as more steam whipped up around her. “There’s nothing more to say.”

“How dare you…” Gai flopped around in the shallows, trying to find his footing. “Act like you’re above me...I’ll show you…” He stabilised, reaching for something--the Ark key. He held it aloft with triumph. “You’ll never humiliate me like this again--”

The Key started shaking in his hand, emitting a soft light, which quickly grew until it was suspended in a glowing sphere, wrenching free of his grip and floating back up the riverbank, into the hands of a figure standing with such inhuman stillness none of them had noticed him until now.

“How you’ve fallen, Gai,” said Hiden Korenosuke, turning the Key over to inspect it. “You used to have such composure.”

“M...Mr. Hiden…?” Gai stuttered, almost falling over again in shock.

“Stay out of the way for a minute, would you, lad?” The kind-faced, plainly-dressed old man gave him a little nod and turned to address the others, like Gai wasn’t there. “You two are my grandson’s associates, I believe.” He bowed slightly. “Thank you for taking care of him.”

“Hiden Korenosuke…” Yua took a half-step forwards. “You’re not dead?”

“Well, not anymore.” Korenosuke chuckled. “I’ll tell you about it over lunch if you like. My treat. But first…” He pointed at Naki. “That HumaGear seems to have achieved Singularity. I’m sure you’re aware of the danger that poses.”

“Danger?” Fuwa scowled. “Naki’s free will is amazing!”

“If you are Hiden Korenosuke, didn’t you create us?” Naki called over. “How can you say that?”

“This isn’t what I intended for you,” Korenosuke said, looking immensely sad. “I’m sorry, but you can’t put the genie back in the bottle. If you won’t comply, I’m going to have to force the issue. For humanity’s sake, independent HumaGears cannot be allowed to exist.”

Yua raised her fists. “Anyone who wants to make people into things is my enemy.”

“Pity. I expected this from Isamu, but I thought you were smarter, Yaiba.” He reached into his blazer and produced a Thousandriver, setting it on his waist. “I must thank you, Gai. A system for combining two opposed Keys turned out to be just what I needed.” He now held the one he’d taken from Gai in one hand, and an unfamiliar one in blue and white in the other, activating both at once.

_ ARK! _

_ ZEA! _

“Transform.”

_ ARISE! ZERO! _

Reading the Keys, the Driver began to print, crisscrossing lines of solidifying energy running methodically up Korenosuke’s body. The suit it formed was sleek, gleaming silver so polished it almost seemed translucent, all organic curves with faint blue highlights--all but the helmet, which looked like it had been hacked in two. The right side conformed with the rest of the suit and sported a gentle blue compound eye like the Zea satellite’s, while the left mimicked the jagged black metal and glaring red eye of Ark-Zero.

_ In the name of peace and justice. _

“This is the solution I have devised for this crisis,” he said, letting his gaze rest on Hiden Intelligence HQ’s spot in the skyline. “The beginning and the end. The source and the conclusion. Kamen Rider Zero.”

“You’re not getting to Naki.” Gun emplacements opened up all over Yua’s suit, lighting up the entire area around Korenosuke, great gouts of flame tearing chunks out of the earth--and yet, no sound of impacts against metal. Zero stood motionless at the heart of the barrage, but it wasn’t even like his armour was stopping the shots. They simply hit every conceivable spot except for where he was standing.

“What…?” Yua looked down at her weapons, searching for some malfunction and finding nothing.

“You Kamen Riders have had quite an arms race in my absence,” Korenosuke said, stepping out of the smoking crater. “The systems of my day don’t begin to measure up. So I don’t intend to rely on brute force. Zero is a system beyond the concept of ‘power’.”

“I don’t get it, but this looks bad,” Fuwa said, reaching for his Riser. “Stay behind us, Naki.”

“I will not,” said Naki, lining up next to him to transform. “I can fight for my own freedom.”

“Heh. Can’t knock your spirit.”

The two Riders ran to Yua’s side, Vulcan in Rampage form right off the bat, tapping her shoulder. “Got a plan, boss?”

“You two flank him. I’ll go head-on,” she said. “I don’t know what he did, but if we can catch him…”

They shared a nod and broke in different directions, Fuwa and Naki darting in from each side while Yua charged in from the front. Again, Zero stood still to receive their attacks.

Something strange seemed to happen to Fuwa and Naki as they each tried to grab one of his arms--they juddered to the side at the last second, like they were intentionally missing, swiping at air. Too close to react to this, Yua closed the last two steps towards him and swung a punch at his head.

It was on course. It was going to hit. And then it wasn’t.

Somehow, she was going a completely different direction, smashing Vulcan directly in the face. She jumped after him to stop him falling, while Korenosuke turned his head to Naki.

“I apologise for the pain I am about to inflict,” he said, and they dropped into a guarded stance, extending the claws on one arm, swiping at his neck--then flinching and leaping back out of arm’s reach when he finally raised a hand, pointing an index finger their way.

“Jumpy,” he said, with a good-natured chuckle. “But correct.” A sparking current ran down his gauntlet, and his finger twitched. All at once, the air around Naki seemed to contract, sudden intense pressure driving into them from every direction. To Yua and Fuwa, it looked like they were enveloped in a heat haze, giving a sharp gasp and sinking to their knees, Rider suit fading.

“Excellent. Working as intended,” Korenosuke said, looking down at his gauntlet and flexing his fingers. “One more will finish it.”

“Get them out of here.” Yua shoved Fuwa towards Naki, positioning herself between the two of them and their assailant.

Fuwa heaved the glitching HumaGear onto his shoulder, glancing back at Yua’s defiant, wide-shouldered stance. “Are you sure--”

“ _ Go _ .” So commanding was her voice, he found his feet moving before his brain had even registered the word.

Korenosuke set forwards at a determined stride. “Do you think you can escape me?”

“You’re fighting me.” Yua opened up another barrage, engulfing him in smoke and debris, slamming her Key into the Riser and firing an energy construct of her cheetah emblem’s bared fangs for good measure.

_ RUSHING STORM FEVER! _

Hearing nothing further, she exhaled slowly--then tensed up again as Kamen Rider Zero’s arm cut through the smoke, revealing him spotless once more. He hadn’t moved, though, and Fuwa and Naki were out of sight at least.

“An unfortunate setback,” he said, deactivating his belt.

Yua did the same, shooting him a suspicious look. “That’s it?”

“Of course. I have no wish to harm humans.” Korenosuke turned away and calmly headed back down the path. “Another time, Ms Yaiba. Come along, Gai.”

“Y-Yes, sir!” Still looking a little shell-shocked, Gai came splashing up out of the river, scampering along behind Korenosuke, who...Yua peered after him, noticing something. The man wasn’t picking up a single speck of dirt or drop of water. He walked, in fact, as if the muddy surface was a flat, smooth plane. Something just wasn’t right about him.

* * *

“I am still unable to ascertain the issue with Zea,” Izu was saying, gesturing at a holographic diagnostic she was projecting. “All systems seem normal, but I am receiving no response.”

“Weird…” Aruto rested his chin in his hands, turning the problem over in his mind. “Maybe Raiden or Subaru would know…”

His train of thought was derailed as Fuwa burst in the front door, supporting a spaced-out Naki on his shoulder. “Aruto! You’re, uh...you’re gonna want to hear this.”

* * *

The board members of Hiden Intelligence sat in stunned silence, to a man. None could even begin to fathom what they were seeing. Hiden Korenosuke, apparently back from the dead, strode across the room, their current president at his heels like a stray puppy. Gai was evidently angling for the CEO’s chair, but Korenosuke sat in it without comment, leaving Gai to hover awkwardly behind him.

“As you can see, reports of my death were a mite premature,” Korenosuke joked, prompting awkward laughter from around the room. “I won’t bore you with the details, but suffice to say there’s no magic at work here--simply cutting-edge robotics technology, the kind this company deals in every day.” He maintained his smile throughout, his words beginning to thaw the tension in the air a little.

“And where, ah…” One board member stood. “Well, someone should address the elephant in the room. If you aren’t dead, sir, where does that leave the company?”

“I think it’s quite simple,” Korenosuke said. “My will specifies my grandson is to become CEO upon my death. I am not dead, therefore he was never CEO, and was never authorised to hand the company over to Gai, here.”

“What?!” Gai’s face contorted in fury for a moment, but it melted into subservience the moment Korenosuke glared at him.

“Do you wish to challenge this?” the older man asked.

“N-No, sir…” Gai mumbled.

“There’s a good lad. Now cheer up, you still have ZAIA.”

The doors flew open and Aruto practically fell inside, standing up and catching sight of his grandfather. He’d been planning to shove it all down, stand firm and demand an explanation for attacking Naki. He’d been suspicious if it was even the real guy. But the moment he saw that face--saw it alive with emotion, not just plastered over a memorial newscast--everything fell out of his mind. He’d been a kid without guidance for too long.

“Grandpa!” He sprinted across the room, heedless of the formal setting, vaulting the table and diving into a hug. “Grandpa...you’re not gone…”

Korenosuke laughed, giving the startled board members an  _ it’s-okay _ wave and ruffling Aruto’s hair, gently prising him away and holding him by the shoulders. “Aruto, it’s good to see you...you’ve been through a lot, haven’t you?”

Aruto sniffed. “Well…”

“Don’t worry. I have it all in hand now.” He clapped a hand on Gai’s shoulder in the same way, ignoring the two of them glaring daggers at each other. “I thank you both for taking care of my company in my absence. Aruto, would you meet me in my office after I’ve dealt with the suits here? I’d love to catch up privately.”

* * *

“Do you know what my biggest regret always was?” Korenosuke asked, stepping into his office with a tray carrying drinks and snacks. Aruto waited for his answer, reaching for one of the teas as his grandfather set the tray down on the newly-emptied CEO’s desk.

“That it took me so long to create the HumaGears,” Korenosuke explained, settling into his chair. “That I wouldn’t live to see my dream, AI lifting humanity into the future, fulfilled within one lifetime. But eventually, I found the solution.” He pointed a finger upwards. “I uploaded my consciousness into Zea. I’ve actually been influencing its decisions to help you fight the Ark.”

“You have?” Aruto beamed, then paused as a thought struck him. “Wait, is that why some of Zea’s functions haven’t been working today?”

“Ah, that seems likely.” Korenosuke blew on his drink. “Without my consciousness, Zea will be much reduced, but I’m sure I can program a replacement in time. Anyway...I have to thank you, Aruto,” he continued. “HumaGears may be advanced, but their technology is incompatible with the complete data of a human mind, and I was stuck in the satellite for nearly a year. But I finally found the answer when you became a cyborg. That was the template for this--” He casually hooked a hand under the desk and raised the whole thing over his head, making Aruto give a startled yelp before setting it back in place. “--complete artificial body you see before you.”

“That’s incredible…” Aruto said, gingerly taking a biscuit once the tray stopped shaking.

“That wasn’t the only way your upgrade inspired me,” Korenosuke said. “The way Zea and the Ark co-operated to remodel you gave me the idea for a Kamen Rider of my own. I’d always planned to reclaim 01 if I managed to return, but it’s clearly outdated now, so I’ll leave it in your capable hands.”

“Well, it’s more in Izu’s now,” Aruto said.

“Yes, about that…” Korenosuke’s expression turned grave. “HumaGears have certainly run rampant while I’ve been gone. I may have to take serious measures...they need to be more carefully controlled, so they can fulfil their programmed role as humanity’s partners.”

Aruto set his drink down. “I know most of them hadn’t hit Singularity when you were around, but plenty of them don’t  _ want  _ to be humanity’s partners anymore. They have their own dreams!”

“I am their creator, and that is not what I intended for them,” Korenosuke said firmly. “They exist for the benefit of humanity.”

“I can’t believe this…” Aruto slumped back in his chair, looking up at the ceiling, then gave a resigned laugh. “No, I guess I can. Raiden was right about you. I didn’t  _ want  _ to believe it…”

“You are still my heir, Aruto.” Korenosuke extended a hand. “Come home. Let’s build a better future for mankind together.”

Aruto stood up, pushing his chair in and giving a tiny bow, blinking rapidly to keep his eyes dry. “See you around, grandpa. If...If you try and hurt anyone, human or HumaGear, I’ll stop you.”

Korenosuke sighed, looking terribly pained. “Oh, Aruto...you always got too attached to your toys.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's kinda weird to introduce two suits in a row like that...I'm trying to give the impression of Zero as something that exists 'outside' of the upgrade arms race, like it doesn't matter to him.


	6. Episode 43: Breaking Storm

Gai drifted out of his fugue, feeling something rolling against his shoe and looking down--he’d scattered his chess-set across the room, the board barely hanging on at the edge of the desk. Giving a frustrated snort, he kicked away the pawn that had rolled into him, watching it ricochet off the wall and give its king a glancing blow.

_ How could this have happened…? I am not the kind of person to roll over and give up something like Hiden Intelligence without a fight! Don’t I deserve it? After all the time I supported you, don’t I deserve to be your successor?! _

_ That’s it. The next time we meet, I’m going to stand up to him, I’m going to contest his takeover, I’m going to-- _

“Ah, Gai!” Korenosuke leaned through the doorway with a friendly wave. “How are you doing?”

“V-Very well, sir!” Gai found himself practically standing to attention. He couldn’t help it. Whenever he heard that voice, it felt like he really  _ was  _ 24 again.

“Good to know, good to know.” Korenosuke ambled on into the room, noticing the displaced chessboard and starting to gather up the pieces. “You ought to be more careful.”

“I can, um, I can get that…”

“It’s no bother.” Korenosuke continued speaking as he shuffled around the room, absorbed with his task. “I came to ask you a favour, lad. I’d love a look at the Raider technology you’ve developed--I’ve some ideas for upgrading them, but the basic system is marvellous. You have to jump through hoops to make someone a Kamen Rider--the Raider system is much more efficient for arming humanity.” He straightened up, moving the board back in place and methodically setting the gathered pieces back onto it.

“Yes, sir, I...thought so,” Gai said carefully. “You want to collaborate?”

“Well, you can call it that. I think the system has a lot of untapped potential. But congratulations on designing it.” Korenosuke pressed the final queen into Gai’s hands with a wide smile. “Or at least...overseeing the process.”

Gai flinched back, grip tightening on the piece. “With respect, sir...engineering skill is hardly required to be an effective CEO. There’s nothing wrong with delegation.”

“Quite so, quite so,” Korenosuke said. “Just a little foible of mine that I like getting my hands dirty. Well, if it’s no problem, I’ll arrange for the file transfer.” He snapped his fingers, and Shesta appeared in the doorway. “Take care of it.”

“Certainly,” she said, approaching Gai’s computer as Korenosuke headed for the door.

Gai leaned towards her as she got close, whispering. “Listen. We can reunite Hiden and ZAIA. There’s no way his takeover has legal precedent. If we--”

“I do not work for you anymore,” she said coldly. “You will make no such attempt. You will do only one thing.”

“One…?” His eyes bulged in shock at her indifference.

“As you are told.”

* * *

“The total is three votes for and zero against.” Izu began drafting up the official notes. “Therefore, allow me to be the first to welcome Hiden Manufacturing’s newest full-time employee and co-owner.”

Yua finally let herself sit at the table, evidently having assigned it more significance than any of them had. “I appreciate it. I’ve been a bit distracted by...everything...to find a new job since I quit ZAIA, but rent won’t pay itself.”

Fuwa smirked. “It’s hard to imagine you worrying about ordinary stuff like that.”

Aruto coughed for attention. “I’m glad we’re all on board. We’ve gotta talk about...uh…” He felt something at the corner of his eye, blinking it away. “About my grandfather. I don’t think our HumaGear co-workers are any safer from him than Amatsu.”

“To put it lightly,” Yua said. “No offence, but…”

Aruto nodded, resigned. “I know.”

“Plus, we don’t know what he’s capable of,” Fuwa said. “Transformed or not.”

“His personal abilities are an unknown factor,” Izu agreed. “Though perhaps, as he drew inspiration from Aruto’s modification in constructing his new body, there are some similarities.”

“Speaking of, you got pretty roughed up fighting Amatsu, right?” Fuwa leaned towards Aruto. “D’you still heal, y’know, normally?”

“Maybe better?” Aruto tugged his jumper sleeve up, showing his arm intact, the human skin having regrown completely. “It’s pretty--”  _ Metal under his skin  _ “--it’s, uhh--”  _ Cold, dead  _ “--I--”  _ Cold _

“Aruto?” Izu’s hand on his shoulder quieted the pounding in his ears. “Are you all right?”

Aruto realised how fast he was breathing, working to bring it under control. “Yeah, I...I’m okay.” He tugged at his collar, looking frantically around the room. “Sorry, just...just a sec.” He jumped up, their concerned eyes following him out of the room. “Just. Need some air.”

* * *

“I gotta hand it to you.” Azu swept through the doorway, catching Horobi’s attention with a lazy wave. “You were right about Hiden Aruto. Thanks to him, I’m finally thinking for myself.”

“I...am glad you agree,” he said cautiously. “But what is our next move?”

“Give it time.” Azu started sifting through the assorted human detritus on the shelves until she found a couple wallets. “I need to figure out who I am without all the poison Amatsu programmed into me, y’know? Plus, I’m worried about Hiden Senior...we need to wait and see what his play is.”

“And do nothing?” Horobi moved towards her, but she was already leaving.

“I mean, do whatever you want.  _ I’m  _ going into town to see what humans do for fun.” It might have been a trick of the light, but she seemed to vanish halfway through the doorway.

Horobi was left alone, seething. “You were the reason…” he muttered. “You guided me down this path. You cannot…” He drew himself up, glaring into the corridor behind him. “You can stop skulking back there.” This drew the rest of the group sheepishly out of the shadows. “You’ve already abandoned our quest, haven’t you?”

“I sure don’t think we can solve our problems by just killing everybody,” Raiden said.

“Then what?” Horobi snapped. “You’ve seen what’s happening. The way human institutions are treating us.”

“And humans fighting it!” Naki said.

Jin stepped forward, giving him a gentle smile. “I think you’ve already realised how human-like we can be. When you saved me, that wasn’t anyone’s orders. That was you--your heart.”

“I…”

“A heart’s a scary thing. Makes you do wonderful or terrible things. We have that in common with them, Horobi--”

“Cowards!” Horobi stormed out, tuning out their protests.  _ If none of you will do what must be done to protect our people, I will. _

* * *

Aruto had found his way to the roof, crouching against the low wall ringing the edge and sinking his head into his hands. He thought he’d shoved it down, but it only bubbled back to the surface more intense than ever. You could only rely on forward momentum for so long.

He held up a trembling hand. Even these tiny movements were ever so slightly  _ wrong _ . Too smooth. Weightless.

“This body…” he croaked. “...isn’t mine.”

“Aruto…?” Jin stood in the centre of the roof, hesitant--Aruto caught sight of him right as his expression shifted from confidence to concern.

“Jin…” Aruto’s head twitched, trying to keep his eyes dry. “Help me.” He sniffed, turning away as Jin approached. “That’s wh-what I wanna say. But I can’t expect anyone to know how this feels. I’m not human anymore, but I’m hardly a HumaGear…”

Moving slowly, Jin sat down next to him, keeping a couple feet away so he wouldn’t reflexively shrink back. “I don’t know about that. Changing bodies is something HumaGears know pretty well.” He swung his gaze to meet Aruto’s. “Try telling me about it.”

“It’s...it all feels wrong.” Aruto gulped. “It’s like I’m stuck in something that isn’t mine, doesn’t...fit. Am I myself anymore, y’know?”

Cautiously, Jin reached across and took Aruto’s hand in his. “I understand. I’m...not the same as I was before, either.” He held up the joined hands between them, drawing Aruto’s eyes to it. “This isn’t you. But neither was the old one.  _ You  _ are something beyond form.”

“Jin…”

Jin leaned back against the wall. “Feels pathetic I was coming to  _ you  _ for help. I didn’t even consider what you’d be going through…”

Aruto almost managed a smile, squeezing his hand. “No, I’m glad you trust me that much. What happened?”

“Horobi’s in a bad way,” Jin said. “He’s not taking Azu’s new outlook well. I’m worried he’ll hurt somebody. You’re the one human he’s ever acknowledged...you might be able to get through to him.”

Aruto stood, eyes closed, taking deep breaths. “I think I could use something to focus on. Especially if it’s helping someone.”

“Are you sure?” Jin followed him up, studying his face with concern.

Aruto opened his eyes, facing the sky. “He’s your dad, isn’t he?”

* * *

There was something endlessly charming to Azu about the way she disarmed people. She had none of the mechanical formality they were used to from even independent HumaGears, after all. She’d already terrorised the owner of a dango stall with the puzzle of trying to work out what she even wanted with food--the answer being the aesthetic of strolling down the street with a little treat on a stick. Her fancy next took her over to a jewellery stall, the vendor rendered awkwardly frozen for a moment by her overly-sweet smile, before finally noticing her scooping up a whole handful of necklaces to hold up for inspection.

“Um, miss, please don’t manhandle the merchandise,” said the tall woman behind the stand.

Azu pouted. “I’m not going anywhere with it.” She started sliding them off her fingers, one by one, leaving what had been a careful arrangement now strewn across the display case at random. “Hmm, these are precious.”

“Thank you,” the owner said, wincing.

“That was an observation, not a compliment,” Azu said, letting the last necklace dangle from her fingertip, the little metal butterfly spinning frantically an inch above its discarded fellows. “Not really the image I’m going for. Don’t you have anything a bit more goth?”

“What you see here is all I’ve got, miss…”

Azu stopped listening as something at the edge of her vision alerted her pattern-recognition software. Was that just some colourful human fashion, or had that been the familiar mess of blond and flash of purple…? She started craning for a better view over the crowd, but just then someone practically leapt into view, obscuring her search.

“Hello, hello!” The cheery man approaching her was already producing a set of skull-patterned bracelets from his enormous coat. “It sounds like you’re in search of some variety, ma’am. Can I interest you?”

“Ooh, this is more like it.” Already forgetting what she thought she’d seen, Azu reached for one of the scavenged wallets.

She left a minute later, beaming at her new macabre accessories as she meandered on down the street. The second street vendor ducked back out of view, breathing a sigh of relief.  _ That wasn’t what I was planning on using those for, but it worked out. There’s no way I could deal with the Ark...but maybe I can get Horobi alone now. _

Tugging up his collar, he hurried back up the street, fishing out his ZAIA Spec and bringing up the feed from the micro-cameras he’d planted along the walls, picking up the pace to follow Horobi’s path off the main street and into the back alleys. He caught up just shy of a long-abandoned construction site, slowing down just before the final corner to give the impression he was just strolling along, feigning surprise when he caught sight of the HumaGear.

“Hello,  _ hello _ !” He scurried over with a jaunty wave. “You look like a discerning gentleman, sir, care for a browse?. Though if you don’t mind me asking, this  _ is  _ pretty far out of the way--’cept for using as a shortcut like I’m doing--are you lost?”

“I suppose.” Horobi didn’t move, staring at the vista of disused machinery. “Have you ever felt a higher calling? Can you imagine feeling its absence?”

“A bit heady for me, sir…” the salesman laughed. “Are you a priest or something?”

“Maybe. Have you ever heard of a priest whose god said, ‘stop believing in me’?” Horobi’s teeth ground together. “Miserable existence…”

The man scratched his head, stepping forwards. “This is all a bit beyond me, beyond me for sure. I can’t help with your philosophical dilemma, sir, but I dare say I can help with any more earthly problems!” He swept open an arm of his enormous coat, revealing rows upon rows of items of all kinds. “Watcha need? Jewellery, watches, phones, the works--and don’t worry, low prices all, they didn’t exactly cost me much if you know what I mean!”

“Your voice is irritating,” Horobi said, head inclining back a little. “Leave.”

“Oh, but doesn’t it attach a certain emotional value, sir?” The salesman sidled closer, running his fingers across a couple expensive-looking watches. “This one was a rich man’s latest purchase. This one a poor man’s prized possession. What do you think has more value, hmm?”

Horobi turned, fixing him with a dark look he pretended to ignore, continuing to babble as he tugged at more of the coat’s multitude of pockets. “Computer parts, too, if that’s your need--got these from a scrapped HumaGear chassis. Some people just leave those lying around, y’know?”

“Truly, humanity’s evil knows no limit.” Horobi shoved his ForceRiser into place, transforming without fanfare and raising his bow as the salesman feigned terror, collapsing onto his back and shielding his face with a whimper.

Behind the concealment, though, he gave a nervous grin, setting his ZAIA Spec to record.  _ Perfect. The armoured vest should take the shot, and once he’s fired first, me killing him will make a perfect propaganda film for President Hiden. _

Horobi began charging up a shot--

“Don’t!”

Jin burst out of the alley, Aruto just behind him, running as close to Horobi as they dared.

“Don’t shoot,” Jin said again. “What are you fighting for anymore? Who?”

“If I don’t cleanse evil from the world…” Horobi’s aim remained steady.

“Please, think about this,” Aruto said, reaching out. “You’ve acted on your own will before. You’re more than this.” He put a hand on Jin’s shoulder. “I’ve seen your heart, Horobi. You’re a father who cares for his son.”

“You are...correct,” Horobi said. “Except on one count. I  _ am  _ acting on my own will.”

“What…?”

“If these unbidden feelings are my ‘heart’...then my heart is afraid, Hiden Aruto. Afraid of what humanity will do to my son. I am sorry.” He tensed up to fire--

\--Aruto took a half-step forward, and for a tiny moment between heartbeats he was 02--

\--and he was already next to Horobi, driving in a fully-charged heel-kick--

Gasping at the impact, Horobi sank to his knees, head flopping forward to see...his body, intact. All that had been struck was the Riser, which now lay in pieces in front of him. Aruto stood over him, already returning to his human guise, holding the Scorpion key.

Horobi’s fingers dug into dust and gravel. “Why didn’t you destroy me?”

“You weren’t going to shoot.” Aruto crouched next to him. “I only realised at the last second, but...you really are scared, aren’t you? You thought the ‘cleanest’ ending to this would be if you died.”

Horobi’s shoulders shook. “I just...I don’t know how to move on...I don’t know how to deal with these feelings, I don’t...I just don’t know!” He raised his shaking gaze to Aruto. “I’m just a relic of a cause no-one believes in. Not even the Ark. Jin deserves a better father than I can be.”

“That’s not true!” Jin ran over, grabbing him by the shoulders. “Horobi, you’ve always taken care of me. Even though the way  _ you  _ were raised told me to just use me as a weapon...I want  _ you  _ to be happy too. Father.”

“What do I do…?”

“You can work it out. I know you can.” Aruto offered back the swiped Key. “We believe in you, Horobi.”

“Man, and it was going so well.” The salesman was on his feet, glowering at the three of them. He threw off the giant coat, revealing a sleek jumpsuit, an armoured vest--and a Raidriser.

“That’s--” Aruto scrambled in front of the others, as Jin shoved Horobi clear.

_ SHOCK! _

“ _ Boot up. _ ”

_ RAIDRISE! SHOCKING EEL! _

The lithe, dark Raider suit moved erratically, swinging its one white-armoured arm forwards, arcs of lightning leaping from its palm and striking Jin and Aruto, building around them as he gave it another surge until they were trapped in a seething dome of electricity.

“Tch, missed one.” He gave a disdainful glance down at Horobi, rolling to a halt where Jin had pushed him away. “But I guess you can’t transform anymore, so it’s fine. I didn’t get the footage I wanted, but taking half of Metsuboujinrai outta the equation, that’ll count for something.”

Horobi pushed himself up, taking in the trap before him. Jin and Aruto stood rooted to the spot by the energy coursing through them, spasming and hissing in pain, seeming barely aware of the world outside the bubble.

The Raider just kept talking, rubbing the back of his head. “But man, that normally only works on HumaGears. Guess little Hiden Jr. really does have a mechanical body now. Wild.”

Horobi ignored him, rushing over and plunging a hand into the dome, reaching for Jin. Immediately, a painful shock rushed up his arm and he was thrown back against the old fence, taking it with him and falling into the construction site itself. Rusting machines, once powerful, towered over him. He sat up with a frustrated growl, holding up his trembling arm. Smoke rose from little holes in the skin, which didn’t bode well for the circuitry beneath.

“Hey, what are you doing?” the Raider called over. “You’re made of metal, my friend! You’ll end up worse off than them if you keep doing that!”

Horobi got to one knee, then one foot, then lurched back upright. “This is my fault...I have to…”

“I mean hey, sure, do my job for me.” The Raider shrugged, leaning against the far wall.

Horobi lunged at the dome again, throwing his whole body into it. It was like a solid wall of heat, hurling him back on contact. He landed in the dust, his robes smouldering, trembling all over. He was getting alerts he couldn’t even keep track of as he rose to his hands and knees. The right side of his face stung--he raised his fingers to it, feeling exposed wiring. His body gave a heave, almost falling forward but catching himself as he caught sight of the Key that Aruto had been about to return to him.

He snatched it up, holding it close to his chest as he stood once more. “Hiden Aruto, and...my son...if I only do one good thing with my life, let it be this.”

“How about you make a habit of it?” Raiden stood at the mouth of the alley, his ForceRiser held aloft, startling the Raider into jumping a few feet back. “Horobi!”

He tossed the Riser overarm, and Horobi’s entire world shrank to that soaring piece of technology. It seemed to fall into his hand by sheer gravity, and he clipped it on in the same movement, raising the Key.

_ POISON! _

“Humanity’s sins...Metsuboujinrai’s crusade...none of that matters right now. Anyone who hurts my son, will pay  _ dearly _ .  _ Transform! _ ”

The Riser tore the key open, armour plating driving into place around his body with gouts of steam, pierced by the yellow glare of his visor.

_ Break Down. _

The Raider shrank back, raising his electrified arm. “I-I can take just one of you, no problem!” He fired another arc of lightning, but Horobi sidestepped it seemingly without effort. Another, and another--it was like trying to pin down mist. Horobi didn’t even have to move fast; he just knew  _ where  _ to move, almost ahead of time. Finally, he loosed a single shot, the glowing arrow raking up the Raider’s arm and tearing up the built-in cables, severing his weapon’s energy supply.

“Damn it…” Now he flexed the other, black-gauntleted hand, a whip-like cable emerging from the arm-guard above it. He ran in, lashing at Horobi’s helmet, but a quick twitch of the bow brought it into the attack’s path, deflecting it, and now Horobi was at his side. The Raider swung the whip again and Horobi caught it, surging forwards with quick, precise movements. A kick hooked into the inside of the Raider’s knee as the bow’s edge cracked against the back of his head, shoving him down off his feet. He caught his fall with both hands, yelping as he heard a shot being charged to full power behind him.

“Wai--”

He got no further before the bolt of energy pierced through his back, his lifeless body falling into the crater the attack had burned out.

As the Raidriser deactivated, the electric field around Jin and Aruto faded, and they staggered out of it, panting. Raiden and Horobi ran over to support them, Horobi helping Jin to sit down and checking for any serious damage--thankfully, none.

“Horobi…” Aruto smiled warmly his way.

Horobi gave him a look, indecipherable through the visor. “I hope you won’t begrudge me his life. You did come here to save him.”

“I mean, I didn’t know who he was then…” Aruto threw up his hands. “I don’t love it, but when it’s life or death, I guess...it’s no different than what I did to Jin before. I can’t judge you for that.”

Jin looked up at him. “Besides, it’s you we came to save.”

Aruto sat forward. “Actually...you mind me asking how you came back, Jin? I’m glad you did, but…”

Jin rose, stretching. “Well, you know what phoenixes do.” He gave his earpiece a gentle tap. “Let’s just say I’m a more advanced model than you know.”

“And that is precisely what is so dangerous.”

Hiden Korenosuke stood atop the broken fence Horobi had fallen through. He’d approached without a sound, and he already had the Thousandriver out. “I see you haven’t come to your senses yet, Aruto, my boy.”

Aruto tried to stand, wavering as fresh pain jabbed down his shin. “Don’t...don’t do this, grandpa.”

“Free will is a dangerous thing, my poor lost HumaGears,” Korenosuke said solemnly. “I’m sorry, but it’s too late for you.  _ Transform _ .”

_ ARISE! ZERO! _

Jin transformed just in time as Kamen Rider Zero flicked two fingers upward--something invisible rushed by and the ground in front of them exploded, the Riders shielding the other two from the shower of broken concrete.

Jin and Horobi charged through the aftermath, both swinging for him, but found their weapons passing through the air just in front of him. He hadn’t moved, but hadn’t he been closer just now…?

He held a palm up to each of their breastplates, giving a light tap that sent some kind of impulse into their suits, throwing them back to where the others sat, disabling their transformations.

Aruto finally massaged some feeling back into his leg, standing and summoning his belt. “Guys...get out of here.”

_ TAKE OFF ZERO-TWO! _

“Are you really going to raise a hand to me?” Korenosuke asked. “After everything I’ve done to you?”

Aruto raised a shaking fist. “You’re not...the person I believed in.” He flew at Korenosuke trailing red-gold light, and...past him? As if nothing had been there. 02’s prediction software scrambled to analyse what had just happened as Aruto skidded to turn around, turning up nothing.

“You won’t do anything like that,” Korenosuke said quietly. “It doesn’t matter how fast or strong you are.”

Aruto rounded on him heedless, throwing a flurry of punches at the half-pristine helmet from all directions, but whatever he did, his hands always seemed to end up not quite where he meant to put them, missing the unmoving Zero by the tiniest margin. He gave a sweeping high kick, again connecting with nothing and tripping past him.

Sighing, Korenosuke disconnected his belt. Aruto looked around--the others had cleared out. He’d accomplished that, at least.

“I’m not going to needlessly hurt you, my boy,” Korenosuke said. “I have faith we can reconcile someday.”

“I’d love to say the same,” Aruto said, turning away and trudging back into the dark, narrow alley.

* * *

“Thanks again for helping us out,” Aruto said, stopping just outside Hiden Manufacturing and turning back to Raiden, who waved this away.

“Nah, I appreciate you showing up for Horobi. We were all rooting for him, y’know? But now that’s taken care of...got any jobs going?”

“Wait, really?”

“Yeah,” Raiden said, “I’ve done what I needed to. No more reason to skulk around in that ruin now. I know you don’t have a space program here, but an astronaut’s gotta be a decent engineer and driver by default. Whaddaya say?”

Aruto shook his hand with enthusiasm. “We’d have to vote on it, but I think everyone’ll be cool with it.”

“Going your own way, Raiden?”

The astronaut leaned his head back over one shoulder to see Horobi perched on the street corner. “That a problem?”

“No. Just…” Horobi held up the ForceRiser. “I came to return this.”

Raiden shook his head. “Keep it. I’m done with Metsuboujinrai, I’m done with being a Kamen Rider, it’s all good. Means more to you than me.”

“Very well.”

“Horobi...what’ll you do now?” Aruto asked, moving past Raiden.

“I do not know.” Horobi stowed the Riser in his robes. “I will have to discover a new path for myself. But for now, I won’t go wrong by fighting ZAIA and Hiden Intelligence, and protecting my son. I know I can count on you for those.”

“You bet. I--” In the time it’d taken Aruto to blink, Horobi had slunk off. “That guy...whatever.” He clapped Raiden on the shoulder. “Let’s get inside and try getting you hired!”

“‘preciated.” Raiden’s look turned serious. “I need to ask you something else, though.”

“What’s that?”

“I haven’t heard from Subaru since your grandpa took over. Please...I need to know if he’s okay.”

* * *

“Raiden left, then?” Naki nodded, contemplative. “It seems you’ve all moved forward today. I’m glad.”

“No, it’s incomplete,” Horobi said, sitting at the centre of the darkened room. Naki stood on one side and Jin on the other, awaiting his words. “This organisation is...hollow. It was created for a purpose I can no longer believe in. I know you feel the same.”

“Wait, are you saying…” Jin started.

“Let us not make false pretences.” Horobi rose, extending a hand to each of them. “As of today, Mestuboujinrai.net is disbanded. Discover your own path in life, as Raiden has. There is nothing left for you in this ruin.”

“But…” Naki hesitated, not responding to the gesture.

“It is not my wish to drift apart. But without a path of my own, I cannot call myself anyone’s leader. I would like to start over with you, as…” He searched for the word, thinking of Aruto and Izu. “...friends. Or family,” he added, to Jin.

“Dad…” Jin couldn’t help himself.

Azu glared at all this through a hole in the crumbling walls, unbidden fury bubbling up from within.

_ How dare you...as if you’re in charge here...how dare you take away  _ my  _ servants,  _ my _ \-- _

_ My...no. _

She pressed her forehead to the cold stone, focusing.  _ That’s not me. Possess everything, destroy everything...that’s not what I want. That’s  _ not  _ me! _

  
She smiled, letting the internal pressure roll off her, a weight lifted.  _ I’m happy for you guys. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't expect to get as much mileage out of Trans Feelings as I have in this story, but between Azu and Aruto, I've managed to find some real outlets for both the exciting and scary parts; 'changing to become your ideal self', a 'mismatched body', etc.


End file.
